Elusive leopard strikes again, kills 4 goats near Ambur

Farmer Venketesan of Abikaraiapattarai village near Ambur found three goats dead, while another goat was dragged away by the predator on Thursday night. Forest officials and Umarabad police visited the spot.

Forest officials are now seeking ways to trap the animal whose reappearance has frightened the local villagers, who hesitate to venture out at night.

It may be recalled that the leopard first appeared near Ambur on December 28 and attempts to capture it from a cane grove resulted in six people being bitten. Though forest officials set up cages in three locations and also brought in experts from Vandalur and Hosur to tranquilise the animal. But the leopard vanished from the scene and forest officials opined that it had escaped to the forests in nearby Andhra Pradesh.

The reappearance of the predator has alarmed locals, who demanded that forest officials take immediate steps to trap the animal.