File photo of a black panther used for representational purposes.
Bhatkal: Panic gripped residents of Bhatkal’s Nawayath Colony on Saturday evening after a black panther reportedly attempted to attack an elderly man near Maryam Ali Masjid at around 8:30 pm. The victim had a narrow escape after his son rushed to his aid, forcing the wild animal to retreat.
According to locals, Hassan, a 60-year-old resident, was returning home behind Maryam Ali Masjid after offering Isha prayers when the predator, believed to have been lurking nearby, suddenly lunged at him. Startled by the attack, he fell to the ground.
Recounting the incident, his son Shafi said, “I was outside my house when I saw the black panther attempting to attack my father, causing him to fall. I immediately ran towards him, and on seeing me, the panther fled within seconds and disappeared into nearby bushes.”
News of the incident spread rapidly, drawing crowds to the area. Even as residents were discussing the shocking encounter, another sighting was reported nearly an hour later. Basheer Ahmed, a resident living about 200 meters from the mosque, said he spotted the same black panther sitting outside his house. On noticing him, the animal quickly ran off again, deepening fear among locals.
Forest Department officials rushed to the spot soon after receiving the information and launched an extensive search operation. Firecrackers were burst in an attempt to drive the animal back towards the forest, while teams combed the area from behind Maryam Ali Masjid up to the nearby ‘Mango Farm’ and adjoining forest patches.
Equipped with powerful torches, officials continued the search late into the night; however, the animal remained untraced at the time of filing this report.
A Forest Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, suspected that the panther may have strayed into the residential area from the Sagar Road forest via the Kadvinakatte route.
Meanwhile, another local youth, Abdul Rahman, revealed that he had encountered what appeared to be the same animal two days earlier near the Heggal River. He said he was fishing along the riverbank on Thursday evening when he sensed danger. On turning back and flashing his torch, he was shocked to find the panther standing just behind him, seemingly ready to pounce. The animal fled with a loud growl as soon as the light fell on it.
Local social activist Naufil Kharuri stated that the panther has likely been moving around the area for the past four to five days after straying from nearby forest zones. He also pointed out that stray dogs, usually seen in large numbers from Maryam Ali Masjid to Muzammil Masjid and Kargedde areas, had suddenly disappeared following the sightings—an indication of the presence of a wild predator.
Despite continued efforts by forest personnel, the failure to trace the animal has left residents anxious. Many parents expressed concern about sending their children to school amid fears of another encounter. At the same time, groups of curious youths were seen riding scooters and motorcycles around the locality, attempting to catch a glimpse of the elusive black panther by flashing torches into bushes and even atop mango trees, prompting authorities to urge the public to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary risks.