PILIBHIT: A leopard that killed a seven-year-old girl after dragging her from her home in Sidhauna village, around 4 km from the North Kheri forest range in Lakhimpur Kheri, on March 25, was trapped in a cage around midnight on Saturday. The child was playing in the courtyard when the leopard seized her by the neck. The incident sparked anger among residents and the victim’s body could be sent for autopsy only 18 hours after her death.Officials said five cages with live bait were set up and 10 camera traps installed. Four monitoring teams, including trained big cat trackers equipped with specialised protective gear, kept constant watch on the leopard’s movement.Forest range officer Bhupendra Kumar Singh said, “The leopard was identified as an adult male, estimated to be five to six years old. A medical examination by veterinary officers from Dudhwa Tiger Reserve found the animal to be healthy, with no visible injuries or deformities. It was fed 2 kg of mutton after being trapped.” Singh added that prior to its capture, the leopard had attempted to enter two more houses and target children on Saturday, but alert teams prevented further attacks.UP’s chief wildlife warden Anuradha Vemuri said, “Given the animal’s repeated entry into homes, aggressive behaviour and the risk of further attacks, it had been decided to shift the leopard to the Lucknow Zoo under veterinary supervision. The move was also intended to reassure residents.”
