Karnataka announces ₹20 lakh compensation after leopard kills boy in Chamarajanagar
Synopsis
A leopard dragged a young Bengaluru boy to his death during a family pilgrimage in Karnataka's Male Mahadeshvara Hills — the second such fatality in days. With three attacks reported in quick succession, the state faces mounting pressure over pilgrim safety, even as 30 forest personnel and thermal drones close in on the animal.
Key Takeaways
Harshith Gowda was killed in a leopard attack near Nagamale , Chamarajanagar district , on Sunday, 10 May .
The Karnataka government announced ₹20 lakh compensation; a ₹5 lakh cheque has already been handed to the family.
More than 30 forest personnel and a thermal drone team are deployed to capture the leopard; four cages have been installed.
Devotees have been temporarily barred from the Nagamale pilgrimage route as a precaution.
Ashoka cited three leopard attacks in a few days resulting in two deaths , calling it an administrative failure.
The Karnataka government on Monday, 11 May announced a ₹20 lakh compensation for the family of Harshith Gowda, a young boy killed in a leopard attack near Nagamale in the Male Mahadeshvara Hills region of Chamarajanagar district. The Forest Department has already handed over a ₹5 lakh cheque to the family, with the remaining amount to be transferred directly to their bank account.
How the Attack Unfolded
Harshith Gowda, a resident of Vrushabhavathi Nagar in Kamakshipalya, Bengaluru, was travelling the Nagamale route on Sunday morning as part of a foot pilgrimage with 10 family members when the leopard attacked the group near Indiganatha village in Hanur taluk. The animal dragged the boy into the forest in front of his family. Forest officials subsequently launched a search operation and recovered the child's body from deep inside the forest.
Security Measures Intensified
The Forest Department has ramped up efforts to capture the leopard, installing four cages in the area and deploying more than 30 forest personnel at the site. A thermal drone team maintained overnight vigil, and the leopard's movement has since been tracked on a thermal drone camera. As a precautionary measure, devotees have been temporarily barred from travelling to Nagamale.
Political Fallout
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Monday accused the state government of failing to protect devotees visiting the Male Mahadeshwara Hills shrine. Ashoka stated that three leopard attacks had occurred within a span of a few days, resulting in the deaths of two innocent devotees.
Point of View
Yet pre-emptive safeguards appear to have been absent. Announcing compensation after a child's death and deploying drones after the fact are reactive measures; the harder question is why no early-warning or deterrent system existed on a route known for wildlife activity. Opposition criticism is politically motivated in part, but the underlying charge of negligence deserves a factual, independent answer.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Harshith Gowda and what happened to him?
Harshith Gowda was a young boy from Vrushabhavathi Nagar in Kamakshipalya, Bengaluru, who was killed by a leopard on Sunday, 10 May, while on a foot pilgrimage near Nagamale in the Male Mahadeshvara Hills. The leopard dragged him away in front of his 10 family members; his body was later recovered by forest officials from inside the forest.
What compensation has the Karnataka government announced?
The Karnataka Forest Department announced ₹20 lakh compensation for Harshith Gowda's family. A ₹5 lakh cheque has already been handed over, and the remaining ₹15 lakh will be transferred directly to the family's bank account.
What steps has the Forest Department taken to capture the leopard?
The Forest Department has installed four cages in the area, deployed more than 30 forest personnel, and positioned a thermal drone team that tracked the leopard's movement overnight. Devotees have also been temporarily barred from the Nagamale route.
How many leopard attacks have occurred in the Male Mahadeshvara Hills recently?
According to BJP leader R. Ashoka, three leopard attacks occurred in the Male Mahadeshvara Hills within a span of a few days, resulting in the deaths of two people, including Harshith Gowda.
Is the Nagamale pilgrimage route safe to visit now?
As of 11 May, devotees have been temporarily barred from travelling the Nagamale route as a precautionary measure while the Forest Department works to capture the leopard. Authorities have not yet announced when access will be restored.
