Bhubaneswar, May 12 -- A sense of fear and panic has gripped several villages under the Digapahandi forest range in Odisha's Ganjam after a video allegedly showing a leopard roaming in the nearby hills went viral on social media. The incident has created anxiety among residents in the Chikiti section area, where people are now avoiding venturing outdoors after sunset due to fear of a possible big cat movement.

According to local reports, villagers suspect that a leopard has been moving around the hills adjoining Ratnei village under the Digapahandi range for the past few days. Though there has been no official confirmation from the Forest Department regarding the presence of the animal, repeated reports and the circulation of the viral v...