Bahraich, May 25 -- Panic gripped Maujipur hamlet under Joganiya Gram Panchayat in Chakia forest range of the Bahraich Forest Division on Sunday after a leopard that had strayed from the forest, entered the village and attacked three people, leaving them with minor injuries. The sudden appearance of the wild animal triggered chaos among residents, many of whom ran for safety while others gathered in large numbers to chase the leopard away. According to local residents, the leopard moved through the village lanes and attacked three individuals during the commotion. Although the injuries sustained were stated to be minor, the incident created fear and tension across the area. As villagers raised an alarm and attempted to drive the animal away, the leopard ran into the house of a local resident identified as Naseem. Showing remarkable presence of mind, villagers quickly shut the doors from outside and confined the leopard inside the house to prevent it from escaping into the locality again. The Forest Department was immediately informed about the situation. A rescue team from the Bahraich Forest Division rushed to the spot under the supervision of veterinarian Dr Deepak Verma. Divisional forest officer Sundaresh Mysore said the operation was carried out under the directives of principal chief conservator of forests Anuradha Vemuri. After assessing the situation, Dr Verma successfully tranquilized the leopard inside the house. DFO Mysore said the captured leopard is a female, estimated to be around one-and-a-half years old. He explained that several sub-adult leopards are currently active in the Nanpara, Mahsi and Chakia Range. DFO said young leopards often stray into villages while searching for territory or prey, leading to human-wildlife conflict. The rescued leopard will undergo medical examination and observation before being released into a suitable forest area. The department urged villagers near forest fringes to alert authorities about wild animal movement instead of confronting them. htc...