A leopard which had created a scare in the surrounding villages by its cattle killing spree, has been successfully captured on Monday, when it walked into Shadnagar town and found itself a rooftop to doze off.
The family members of Manne Vijay Kumar were frightened out of their wits when the leopard was found napping behind planter bins on their terrace, where a family stayed in a penthouse with two children. “In fact, the two children spotted the animal first, when they noticed the tail, and approached to explore. Upon noticing the leopard, they ran to their parents, who called the police control room,” related District Forest Officer, Rangareddy, Bheema Naik. The police, after verifying the claim from a neighbouring terrace, alerted the Forest Department.
The rescue team from Nehru Zoological Park headed by Deputy Director (Veterinary) M.A. Hakim, which arrived from Hyderabad, encountered an unexpected sight. Hundreds of people thronged the surroundings where the feline was spotted, making the rescue all the more difficult.
“By the time we reached, the leopard had woken up, climbed down the terrace and hid beneath the stair case. Rescue operation proved to be very difficult, with curious crowds trailing us wherever we went,” said Dr. Hakim. The police had difficult time tackling the crowds, even after asking the residents in the neighbourhood to stay indoors through the rescue operation.
The team could gain entry into the kitchen, from where they shot the tranquilliser dart through the window.
After being shot, the feline ran for some distance, and collapsed on the premises of another house under construction, from where it was captured using nets. While dashing for cover, the animal hit a police constable trying to control the crowds, injuring him in the process, Mr. Naik informed.
“It is a young male of four to five years of age, and found to be under stress. We have brought it to the zoo park, and kept it under observation. If all is well, we will release it into the forests after 48 hours,” Dr. Hakim said. The leopard is suspected to be the same animal which had been marauding the surrounding villages for three to four months, and lifting cattle, Mr. Naik informed. It is believed to have strayed from the Kammadanam forest block nearby in search of prey or water.
