There is no proper safety to the pilgrims who are trekking the steps of the TTD. The TTD after several incidents could have arranged a mesh en route so that the wild animals do not jump onto the pilgrims.
There is every need for a mesh all the way to the TTD from the Alipri on the forest side to begin with. The TTD has already sanctioned money for the roof over the steps. Now they can go for the mesh cover also.
A six-year-old girl was killed by a leopard while she was walking to Tirumala along the Alipiri footpath it is reported. Forest officials said that it could be a wild bear.
The girl, identified as Lakshitha, was going to Tirumala by walking with her parents when she went missing between 7:30 PM and 8 PM on Friday. The parents of the girl, searched for her in vain.
Upon receiving the information, the TTD vigilance and security personnel launched a search operation. Later, pedestrians discovered Lakshitha’s body near Narasimha Swamy temple at about 4 am on Saturday.
“Lakshitha was walking ahead of her family when she went missing. After discovering that she is missing, the family searched in vain. Following the notification, we launched a search that led to the discovery of the girl’s body near Narasimha Swamy temple.
Upon examining the injuries, the forest staff suspected that the girl might have succumbed to the injuries inflicted by a bear.
The incident has once again triggered apprehensions over the safety of the Alipiri footpath route which passes through dense forests. A similar leopard-attack case was reported at the footpath’s 7th mile in June and the victim, a three-year-old boy survived.
