A search operation was launched for a leopard that managed to escape after injuring five people at Ankampalem village of Atreyapuram mandal in East Godavari district, on Tuesday.
Some residents saw the animal prowling in the crop fields on the outskirts of the coastal village on Monday. The animal injured five people when they tried to drive it away. The villagers alerted the forest and police officials. The leopard climbed up a coconut tree by the time the officials reached the village.
On the loose
The officials set up a net beneath the tree. The leopard that stay perched atop the tree across the night managed to escape in the early hours of Tuesday. A few villagers said that they saw the wild cat disappearing into the crop fields.
Meanwhile, veterinary specialist from Rajamahendravaram Phaneendra reached the village with tranquilizer and he was in touch with the veterinary experts at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam. The officials set up a camp in the village and launched search operations.
According to sources, the forest officials spotted the footprints of the animal. But, they were clueless if the animal has escaped to some island village or taken shelter in the horticulture gardens sorrounding the village.