Dangerous Leopard Captured After Killing 8-Year-Old Girl in Uttar Pradesh Forest Zone

The captured leopard has been taken to range headquarters for medical evaluation. (Representational)

Lakhimpur Kheri:

Officials reported that early Friday morning, a leopard suspected of killing an eight-year-old girl was successfully captured near a village in the North Nighasan forest range of the Dudhwa buffer zone.

Forest officials explained that the big cat was caught in a cage strategically placed in a sugarcane field with bait.

They believe this leopard is the same one that fatally attacked Preet Kaur on October 8 as she was walking home with her aunt.

After the incident, the forest department enhanced their patrolling efforts and monitoring in the area, setting up multiple cages and camera traps to locate and capture the predator.

Forest Range Officer Bhupendra Singh verified the capture and noted that images and pugmarks collected on October 9 matched those of the captured animal. He identified the leopard as a male between six and seven years of age.

The leopard has been transported to the range headquarters where it will undergo a thorough medical examination.

Singh added that decisions regarding relocation or release at an appropriate location would be made after completing the veterinary assessment.