Angry villagers kill rare leopard

"Angry over injuries caused to two youths by the leopard which had entered the human settlement, villagers of Gandarpur beat the animal to death using sticks and cricket bats," city DFO J K Das told PTI.

The rare animal was first spotted in the morning by some youths in a bush on the village outskirts, near Nandankanan Zoo, he said, adding the villagers were agitated after the leopard attacked two youths.

A large number of villagers, armed with sticks, cricket bats, hockey sticks and other objects, gathered near the site and encircled the leopard before beating the animal non-stop till it died, he said.

A investigation has been ordered into the incident and the circumstances that led to the killing of the leopard, DFO said. The animal's carcass was sent for post-mortem, he said adding the leopard was killed before forest officials and tranquiliser team could reach the site to trap it.

After killing the animal, the villagers refused to hand over the carcass to the forest department personnel demanding compensation to the injured. The carcass was recovered following intervention of senior officials, sources said.

The injured persons were taken to Capital Hospital here, Das said. The leopard was suspected to have strayed into the area from nearby Chandaka forest, officials said.