Lucknow: Panic gripped a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district on Friday after a leopard entered a residential area, attacked seven people and fled into nearby sugarcane fields, triggering a massive search operation by the Forest Department and police.The incident occurred around 10 am in Hamidpur Khairatiya village under the Ramgaon police station limits in the Bahraich Forest Division. Villagers spotted the leopard roaming through the settlement and alerted forest and police officials.A team led by Range Officer Shakib Hasan and Ramgaon SHO Gurusen Singh rushed to the village to secure the area. However, before they could cordon it off, a large crowd gathered and reportedly attempted to chase the animal away.As the crowd closed in, the leopard turned aggressive and attacked several villagers, injuring seven people. The injured were identified as Kasuruddin (17), Salamun (40), Javed (13), Abdul (15), Sayyad (25), Afsar (60) and another local resident.All the injured were rushed to the District Hospital in Bahraich, where they are undergoing treatment. Hospital officials said their injuries are being monitored.After the attack, the leopard escaped into adjoining agricultural fields. Forest teams have launched an extensive combing operation in nearby sugarcane fields and farmlands, where the animal is believed to be hiding.Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Sundaresha said multiple teams have been deployed to track and safely capture the leopard. Cages have been placed at strategic locations, while forest personnel continue to monitor the area.Officials urged residents not to panic or attempt to confront the animal if spotted. Villagers have been advised to avoid venturing alone into fields, especially during the early morning and evening hours, keep children indoors and immediately report any fresh sighting to the Forest Department or police.The rescue operation will continue until the leopard is safely captured and relocated to its natural habitat, officials said.
