UP: Locals capture leopard in Bijnor

A leopard was captured by locals in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district on Monday, days after it created panic in the area.

The leopard was roaming freely in the village for the past few days and feeding on cattle and poultry reared by the locals.

However, the mammal finally fell in a trap set up by a farmhouse owner on Sunday evening.

"One night, it (leopard) ate our hen; we chased it but could not capture it. Later, it ate some of our goats too. Yesterday I laid a trap to capture it and was successful," said a local farmhouse owner, Baljit Singh.

Hours after the incident, forest officials arrived at the spot and caged the leopard.

The increasing human population has depleted the habitat of wild animals, forcing them to stray into human settlements - attacking people and cattle - and often getting killed in return.

Wild animals like leopards, panthers and elephants cause human and material loss in villages nearby forest areas as they often stray into inhabited areas in search of food.