A reported leopard sighting on the Tirumala Alipiri footpath triggers panic among devotees using the popular trekking route to the Tirumala temple. Social media posts and video circulated on Friday show devotees reacting after noticing the animal near the Alipiri route, with reports placing the sighting close to the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple area. According to accounts cited by outlets, forest personnel respond after receiving information and move to contain the situation by using loud noises and shouting to push the leopard back toward the nearby forest.
Authorities subsequently advise devotees to avoid walking alone and to travel in groups while using the footpath, particularly during night hours. Officials also ask pilgrims not to approach or chase any wild animal and to immediately inform the forest department if one is sighted. In parallel, monitoring and surveillance along the Alipiri footpath are said to be intensified to watch for wildlife movement and improve safety for the large number of people who use the route daily. The Alipiri footpath is maintained by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and is a traditional pedestrian path with thousands of steps through forested sections of the Seshachalam Hills.
