TIRUPATI: The forest department captured a sloth bear inside the Nallamala forests near Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh in the early hours on Friday.
According to the forest department officials, a frequent sighting of a leopard and a sloth bear was reported by the devotees near Sikhareswaram during the last few days.
In the aftermath of the Tirupati incident in which a six-year-old girl was killed in a leopard attack, the forest department, which did not want to take any chances, set up three cages inside the Nallamala forests, close to Sikhareswaram.
One sloth bear which was continuously moving around the area, fell into the trap and was captured in the cage set up by the forest department in the early hours on Friday.
Forest department deputy director Alang Chang Teran, directed the staff to continue to closely monitor the situation, as a leopard was also sighted close to Sikhareswaram, near Srisailam.
Forest department officials said the three cages set up will remain at the place as a standby to capture any wild animals moving around in the area.