Chennai: Forest department officials said they have searched all the bushes, vegetation, abandoned buildings, warehouses and godowns JJ Nagar in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore but could not trace any leopard in the area.
But the residents are still too scared to come out of their homes following the reported sighting of a leopard-like wild animal in Kuniamuthur, a densely populated area.
The residents are eerily reminded of another incident in 2022 when a leopard was spotted at a godown and was later captured by the forest officials.
Officials also said that four camera traps were set up to capture the movement of the carnivore but till now there was no sign of the animal.
Pazhanisamy. L.K, a Tamil Nadu government employee, told IANS that he was a morning walker but has stopped it for fear of the animal.
When asked as to how he came to know about the presence of the animal, he said that he didn't know but everyone in the area was aware of such a rumour.
The forest department also seriously monitoring the situation since the sighting of the animal has been reported in the same area as in 2022.
IANS with edits