Lucknow: A female leopard that had triggered fear among residents of the Hardi police station area of Bahraich for several days was finally trapped in a cage set up by the forest department on Thursday morning, bringing relief to villagers who had been staying indoors out of fear.The leopard had been frequently moving into populated areas and preying on livestock, creating panic among residents.The forest department had installed a cage at Satnam Singh’s farmhouse in Bajpai Purwa, Gangapurwa, after receiving repeated reports of the leopard’s movement in the area.Officials said the leopard entered the cage while searching for food early Thursday morning and was subsequently trapped.News of the leopard being captured drew a large crowd of villagers to the spot. Forest officials, however, urged residents to maintain a safe distance from the cage and avoid gathering around it.Range officer Mohammad Shakeeb confirmed that the animal trapped in the cage was a female leopard, estimated to be around four years old.He said the forest department would follow the necessary procedures, including a health examination, before releasing the animal at a suitable location in the forest on the directions of senior officials.
