Search for elusive leopard stepped up

Hyderabad: Forest officials and the police have stepped up search operations for the leopard which has created panic among the people in Yacharam Mandal in Ranga Reddy district on Saturday night. The pug marks of the leopard have been found in the residential area of Nakkartha Medipalli village. 

According to Forest Range Officials, the feline attacked a bull near the village and pug marks were found near the place where the animal carcass was abandoned. The leopard ate part of prey’s flesh. Villagers reported of leopard attacking cattle for the last few months in the mandal. 

The mandal is in the vicinity of the forest. Pug marks were also found near the villages of Ibrahimpatnam and Yacharam. Leopards are increasingly straying into villages for water and food, the officials said. On Saturday night the leopard killed bull belonging to a farmer, Maisayya.