Leopards create havoc in Assam's Sibsagar dist

The leopards come out from a small forest adjacent to the village and kill cows, goats and pigs grazing in nearby agricultural fields and houses, the sources said.

After the wild cats attacked some cows today, the villagers came out armed with sharp weapons to keep them out, the sources said, adding no animal was harmed.

The villagers alleged that the Forest department did not respond to their appeals or take measures for rehabilitating the leopards in another forest away from human settlement.

The man-animal conflict is rising as the forest cover is shrinking following encroachment of forest area by human habitation, environmentalists said.