Leopard strays into Siliguri house, rescued

A leopard strayed into a locality on the outskirts of Siliguri in West Bengal on Monday, triggering panic among the locals, Forest Department officials said.

Wildlife personnel rescued the leopard after more than an hour long operation, they said.

The full-grown carnivore, believed to have strayed from the nearby Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary after swimming across a river, was spotted first at Samar Nagar locality in the morning, they added.

The animal, panicked by the shouts of locals, wounded two persons who came close to it. However, the injuries were not serious, officials said.

The leopard then went inside a house and straightway perched itself on the first floor, climbing up the stairs as the terrified family locked themselves inside a room, Chief Wildlife Warden VK Yadav told PTI.

Forest Department personnel rushed to the spot on getting information about the incident and began the rescue efforts.

They accessed the first floor of the house from the outside.

The leopard was tranquilised and then taken to the Forest Department's vehicle, officials said.

The local police assisted the Forest Department to undertake the operation and keep the curious crowd at bay, they said.

The leopard is currently under observation at an animal rescue centre, Yadav said, adding that it will be released into the wilds a day later.

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