Chennai

The leopard cub was first spotted by a farmer Govindaraj of Pasmarbenda village and his grandson, while they were on their way to the Aravatla hills, which is nearly two kilometres from Pernambut.

The duo heard the growls of the leopard cub when they were walking near their mango grove and found the animal inside a well. The leopard cub had fallen inside the well, which is 9 feet deep and was standing hunched in 1 feet of water. 

Govindaraj immediately alerted the forest staff who informed Vellore DFO Bhargav Teja, who arrived with the forest staff, fire and rescue service personnel and tranquiliser experts to the spot.

However, a debate ensued on how to tranquilise the cub when the fire service personnel lowered a 10 feet long ladder into the well. Seeing the ladder, the leopard quickly clambered up and escaped into the nearby forest.

Later, locals demanded why the forest staff did not catch the animal in a cage as both the mother and the cub posed threat to passersby, but DFO Teja assured them that the cub escaped into the forest and not to human habitation.

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