The forest department successfully trapped a man-eating leopard that had killed five people and injured two children in separate attacks in the Bahraich forest division since August 5, 2023.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Bahraich Akash Deep Badhawan on Sunday said after four months of exerted effort the leopard could be trapped in a cage on Saturday night in Loniyanpurwa village situated at the border Motipur range of the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) and Nanpara range of the Bahraich forest division.
Giving information about the leopard, Badhawan said the forest employees have been attempting to capture the leopard for the last four months. Elephants from KWS were also combing the area and cages were installed at different places to trap the leopard.
He said a veterinary expert from Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Daya Shankar examined the leopard. As per the medical report, the leopard is a healthy male aged about 10 to 12 months. Badhawan said that it will be shifted to the Zoological Garden in Lucknow or somewhere else as per the directions of the concerned authorities. However, all the other necessary formalities and arrangements were being made to shift the leopard. SHARIQ RAIS SIDDIQUI