VELLORE: A false video circulated on WhatsApp about a leopard prowling near leopard prowling has irked forest officials, who warned of tough action against people causing unnecessary scare among villagers, on Monday.
The video shows a leopard standing still and later moving away with the footnote stating that it was taken at Eripudur village in Anaicut taluk.
“The widely circulated video resulted in locals becoming scared to venture out of doors at night,” sources said.
It may be recalled that a similar scare was created at Oonia Mottur village in the same area some days ago when a subordinate revenue official sent a video of two dogs frolicking as being that of leopard movement in the area.
This had resulted in a press release being issued by Vellore district officials and causing a scare till forest officials stated unequivocally that pug marks revealed the predator to be that of a wild dog and not a leopard.
Meanwhile, the latest video according to forest officials appeared to have been shot in Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka. Interaction with locals revealed that they had not seen any evidence of such an animal.
The forest officials announced that there was no leopard and hence no need to be frightened about venturing out of houses at night.