WhatsApp rumour sparks leopard scare in Kottayam; police launch probe

Kottayam: A viral WhatsApp message about an alleged leopard sighting kept residents of Vakathanam in Kottayam on edge for two consecutive days, triggering panic and late-night searches, even though no evidence of the animal was found.

The scare began on Sunday evening, with messages claiming a leopard had been spotted circulating rapidly on social media. Alarmed villagers fanned out with torches at midnight to search nearby areas, but the exercise yielded no trace of any wild animal.

Despite this, fear continues to grip the village. Parents say the rumours have left children too frightened to go to school on their own, with many now being accompanied by elders at least up to the main road. Residents in Vakathanam–Vettikalunku, Kannanchira and Pandanchira areas have become unusually alert, reacting to even the slightest rustle of leaves.

The Vakathanam police have launched an investigation into the circulation of the fake messages that sparked the panic. While the region has earlier reported stray bear sightings and even claims of a tiger, it was the follow-up messages about a leopard on Sunday night that left villagers sleepless.

Many villagers, driven by fear and the spread of misinformation by a section of people from the safety of their homes, went out with torches at midnight in search of the wild animal. Some even shared a route map of the purported leopard sightings on WhatsApp groups. Adding to the panic, a video circulated showing a large male cat walking through the bushes, labelled `leopard in Vakathanam.'

The village, dotted with rubber plantations and untended properties with thick vegetation, allowed the leopard scare to spread rapidly. Residents, including those settled abroad who shared news via WhatsApp, heightened the frenzy. It was in this backdrop that a group of local youths, led by elected representatives, organised search parties equipped with torches.

At one point, eyewitnesses claimed to have seen a leopard jumping out of a forest department vehicle. However, this theory was quickly dismissed. Some even joked that the 'leopard' might have been mistaken for a young leader participating in a two-wheeler rally of 200 vehicles held earlier that evening.

After thorough searches in the area, the police and forest department reiterated that no leopard had entered the village. Despite these assurances, it may take a few more days for the anxiety triggered by this fake social media campaign to subside.