A leopard attack on Friday night left a youth injured near Kaddi Rampura, close to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi in Karnataka. The victim, identified as Karapudi Raja, was watering his crops when the leopard attacked, resulting in severe injuries to his leg. He is currently receiving treatment at the district government hospital. Forest officials noted that a leopard had been spotted in the New Hampi area two days prior, with its movements recorded by a CCTV camera. However, it remains unconfirmed whether this leopard was responsible for the attack. RFO Kaushik Dalavai stated that a cage has been set up to capture the animal, and forest department personnel are actively monitoring the area. Concerns have escalated among residents of nearby villages due to repeated leopard sightings since 2021, particularly in agricultural fields and corridors linking rocky hills to human settlements. In 2023 and 2024, leopards were frequently seen near residential and tourist areas, prompting intensified monitoring and trapping efforts by the forest department in response to the increasing leopard presence in human-inhabited regions.