During the month of Sawan, as Kanwariyas were proceeding from Haridwar to their Shiva temples carrying Ganga Jal or chanting 'Bol Bam,' the issue on the Kanwariya routes was not just traffic and crowds. The leopard, which had been roaming around outside the forest near the roads, had also increased public anxiety.
The biggest challenge for the Forest Department was ensuring that no devotee of Shiva encountered a leopard during the Kanwar Yatra. Considering this potential danger, surveillance was increased on the Kanwar routes, and cages were installed at various locations. One such cage was placed in the town of Harewali on the Dehradun-Nainital Highway.
An incident occurred late in the evening when local residents heard a leopard's roar. When the villagers reached the spot, they found a leopard confined inside a cage. The Forest Department had placed a chicken inside the cage with the aim of catching the leopard through the lure of prey.
The leopard approached the cage upon hearing the chicken's sound in the evening. As it entered in search of prey, it became trapped in the cage and began roaring loudly. Hearing this, villagers gathered and immediately informed the Forest Department. Upon receiving the information, the Forest Department team reached the site, the villagers were kept away from the leopard, and the leopard along with the cage was safely removed from there. The Forest Department is now preparing to release it into a safe forest area.
The capture of the leopard brought relief to both the villagers and the Forest Department, as the Sawan Kanwar Yatra was underway at that time, and a large number of devotees of Shiva were passing through these routes. Keeping in mind the possibility of an attack by the leopard, the Forest Department is already on high alert. Cages have been installed at many places on the Kanwar routes, and forest personnel are monitoring armed. Patrolling is also being done by bike to ensure the safety of the Kanwariyas, and Forest Department staff are monitoring every two kilometers so that immediate action can be taken in any emergency.
However, even after the leopard was caught, the villagers' concern has not completely subsided. Local residents of Harewali say that a pair of leopards had been seen in the area for a long time. Even if the Forest Department has caught one leopard, the other leopard might still be roaming in the nearby forests. The villagers have demanded that a cage be installed as soon as possible to catch the other leopard, because fear will persist until the second leopard is caught.
