Lucknow: A leopard that created panic in two Bahraich villages for the past four days was captured by the forest department team in the Nishangada range late Wednesday night.The big cat roamed in Azamgarh Purwa and Bhatta Bargad Purwa villages and was linked to a fatal attack on a young girl earlier this week. According to forest officials, the leopard dragged the child from inside her house in Azamgarh Purwa two days ago. Her mutilated body was later recovered from a nearby field. In another incident, the animal attacked a youth in Bhatta Bargad Purwa, leaving him injured. The back-to-back attacks triggered widespread fear among residents, with villagers staying indoors after dusk. Acting on reports of the leopard’s movement, the forest department installed traps. The animal reportedly circled around the cages for two days and managed to evade capture. However, around 11 pm on Wednesday, the leopard entered Bhatta Bargad Purwa in search of prey and was finally trapped in the cage. News of the capture spread quickly, drawing large crowds of villagers who gathered to see the animal. Forest officials reached the spot and transported the cage to the Nishangada range office using a tractor trolley amid security arrangements. Residents of Azamgarh Purwa and Bhatta Bargad Purwa expressed relief after the leopard was caught. Forest officials said a panel of three veterinary doctors would conduct a medical examination of the animal. After assessment and orders from higher authorities, it will be relocated to a safe habitat. In a separate incident nearby, a calf tied in a villager’s courtyard in Gaudiya village was dragged away by an unidentified wild animal during the night, and its carcass was later found in a field.
