HYDERABAD: The Telangana Forest Department trapped a leopard that was often sighted in and around Rajendranagar area of Hyderabad and had been the cause of panic among locals.
The leopard was seen trapped in the early hours of Sunday in one of the cages laid by forest department officials near Water and Land Management Training Institute (WALAMTARI) in Rajendranagar on Friday night after receiving complaints of cattle deaths from the locals.
The male leopard, around six years old, was sent to the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad where its health will be checked and if found fit, will be released into the wild.
The leopard has been eluding forest officials for quite some time.
Just a month ago cages were laid to trap the leopard after a cattle death was reported in the area, but in vein.
Shamshabad, Forest Divisional Officer (FDO), Ch Sivaiah said it is in all probability, the same leopard that had created a ruckus in Mailardevpally area near Rajendra Nagar earlier in May this year, after it was seen resting near the median on the road, videos of which had gone viral.
The forest officer added that it was because of Rajendranagar providing a good habitat for the leopard that makes it attractive to the animal. There's an abundance of open lands, hillocks, wild boars, peacocks and other small preys along with good water resources in the the area, including the PJTS Agricultural University.