Leopard attacks 7 in residential area, one hurt while running

At least eight people were injured Monday during a pandemonium triggered by the entry of a leopard into a residential area in Pune in Maharashtra, police said.

The feline was spotted between 5 am and 6 am in Keshav Nagar locality which has several under-construction housing projects, a Mundhwa police station official said.

He said seven people, included an old woman and a forest department personnel, were injured when they were attacked by the big cat while another person got hurt when he was running to safety.

As people ran helter-skelter and many others gathered at the spot, the feline panicked and fell into the duct of an under-construction building while running away.

It was later rescued by the personnel of forest department, police and fire brigade, the police official said.

"Between 5 am and 6 am on Monday, the leopard was spotted in the area, which has several under-construction housing projects and is fairly populated. The animal attacked seven people, including an old woman and a forest personnel, causing injuries to them," the official said.

All the injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital, he said, adding that they were released after primary treatment.

The rescued big cat was then taken to the city-based Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, he said.