On Sunday morning, Harshith, an eight-year-old boy from Bengaluru, was tragically killed in a leopard attack while participating in a pilgrimage near Male Mahadeshwara Hills, Karnataka. The attack occurred around 7 am as Harshith and his family were trekking along the Nagamale route. Eyewitnesses reported that the leopard emerged suddenly and dragged the child into the forest before relatives could intervene. Despite immediate search efforts by forest officials and local villagers, Harshith's body was later found showing signs of mauling, raising concerns that the leopard may have become habituated to attacking humans. In response to the incident, the Forest Department has provided the family with a ₹5 lakh (roughly $6,000 USD) compensation and pledged to implement measures such as installing trap cameras to monitor leopard activity. This incident has intensified anxiety among pilgrims visiting the area, especially following previous leopard attacks, including the death of a 30-year-old devotee earlier this year. Local residents have criticized the authorities for not taking adequate precautions to ensure the safety of devotees, emphasizing the need for stronger protective measures in the face of escalating human-wildlife conflict.