Tirupati: A leopard sighting near step no. 2754 along the Alipiri pedestrian route to Tirumala triggered panic among devotees on Tuesday.
The leopard was spotted sitting on a tree close to the footpath.
Devotees alerted the TTD vigilance and security department, following which vigilance personnel, forest department staff and local police intensified patrolling along the route.
Pilgrims were advised to move in groups and exercise caution while crossing the 7th Mile, Narasimha Swamy temple and Mokalla Mettu stretches of the Alipiri footpath.
The forest department has intensified round-the-clock surveillance along the forest fringes of Tirupati and pedestrian routes following repeated leopard sightings.
Leopards have been spotted at several locations, including the Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpaths, Papavinasanam and other forest fringe areas.
Monitoring teams have been deployed as part of the surveillance measures.
Two five-member teams have been assigned to the Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpaths, while a third team is monitoring university campuses and other areas where wildlife movement has been reported
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