Pernem
Panic gripped Askawada in Mandrem after a black panther entered the gallery of a house and attacked a pet dog early Sunday morning.
The wild cat was spotted at the residence of Balkrishna Gaonkar, where it reportedly tried to pounce on the dog sitting in the gallery.
This is the first sighting of a black panther in the village, though leopard sightings have earlier been reported in other areas of Pernem taluka such as Harmal, Mandrem, Parse, Tuem, and Nagzar, with incidents of livestock and pet attacks.
The sudden presence of the rare animal in a residential locality has alarmed villagers, who are now urging the forest department to act swiftly.
The Gaonkar family has appealed to authorities to immediately locate and capture the panther to avoid further danger.
