Forest officials shoots leopard cub to defend themselves

Forest officials sent to rescue a leopard cub in central Assam's Nagaon district shot the animal dead after it attacked them on Sunday, an official said.

A team of forest department officials from Salona Forest Range went to Nonoi Tea Estate after getting information about the presence of a leopard cub.

They were to rescue the animal and release it in the nearby jungle, said Salim Ahmed, the Range officer of Salona Forest Range.

However, the two-year-old cub attacked one of the team members and he had fired to save himself.

The animal died on the spot, Ahmed said.

After post-mortem examination and other departmental formalities, the carcass was cremated as per rule, he added.