Kalpetta: Thalappuzha Government Engineering College in Wayanad has been given a one-week holiday following the confirmation of a leopard’s presence in the area. Classes will be held online during this period. Students staying in both the college hostels and private hostels in Thalappuzha have been advised to return home.
Tiger tracks were found in residential areas near Kannothmala, 44th Mile, Kambippalam, and Thalappuzha within the forest station limits. Following public protests, a temporary shelter was set up, and 14 trap cameras along with two live cameras were installed. Drones have also been deployed for monitoring the forest areas. The Forest Department had previously urged the public to stay calm and avoid traveling alone at night.
Meanwhile, workers in the sugarcane estates in Pancharakolli have reported that leopards frequently visit the areas behind the estates. Workers express fear of going outside at night and hesitate to let children play outside or leave for work early in the morning due to the leopard’s presence. They also mentioned that their arrival at the estates has been delayed because of the fear of encountering the leopard. The Priyadarshini Tea Estate, owned by the state cooperative department, employs hundreds of workers.
