Woman injured after leopard leaps into safari bus at Bannerghatta Park; visits suspended
BENGALURU – A moment of panic swept through the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) on Thursday afternoon after a leopard jumped at a safari bus and injured a 56-year-old tourist from Chennai. The incident prompted the park administration to immediately and indefinitely suspend all safaris conducted in non-air-conditioned (non-AC) buses.
+ Incident video: Click to watch
According to BBP sources, the attack occurred around 1 pm when a bus from the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation entered the enclosure designated for leopards. “Vahitha Banu was seated near the window when the leopard suddenly lunged toward the vehicle. Although she tried to pull back quickly, the animal scratched her hand, causing bleeding,” a park staff member reported.
The visitor was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where she remains in stable condition.
Safaris suspended and safety review underway
In an official statement, BBP executive director AV Surya Sen described the episode as “unfortunate” and said all safari drivers had previously been alerted about the leopard’s active behavior. He added that new safety instructions had been issued.
“In light of this incident, non-AC bus safaris have been suspended indefinitely until a full safety review is completed,” Sen said. During the suspension period, safari vehicles will undergo inspection and structural reinforcement.
Second case in three months raises concerns
This is the second incident involving leopards in the park within a three-month span. On August 15, a 12-year-old boy suffered scratches after a leopard slid its claws through the bars of a safari bus. Following the incident, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre ordered the installation of mesh screens on all windows and photography points of the vehicles.
BBP’s Leopard Safari, covering an area of 20 hectares, houses rescued and rehabilitated leopards from regions with a history of conflicts in Karnataka. The enclosure features a 4.5-meter metal fence reinforced with plates angled at 30 degrees, as well as railway barricades, but the incident has reignited concerns about the safety of visitors and staff.
Park authorities stated that a comprehensive review is underway to identify protocol failures and ensure that similar episodes do not reoccur.
Source and images: X @TOIBengaluru
