Leopardess suspected in 8yo boy’s death captured in Katarniaghat

Pilibhit: A 5–6-year-old leopardess suspected of killing an eight-year-old boy in Bahraich district's Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary was captured in a cage late Tuesday night, forest officials said.The big cat is believed to be responsible for the death of the boy in Azamgarh Purva village near the Nishangarha forest range on March 7, when he was playing in the open yard of his home.Divisional forest officer Apoorv Dixit said the leopardess was found healthy and showed no signs of physical injury or deformity. Chief wildlife warden of Uttar Pradesh Anuradha Vemuri said permission was granted on Wednesday to release the feline in the Gerua forest region of the sanctuary.Forest teams had placed two cages with live bait at vulnerable locations after tracking the big cat's movement. Range officer Surendra Shrivastav of the Nishangarha forest range monitored the operation along with field staff.Officials said the department faced intense pressure from villagers following the attack. Residents had staged protests, keeping the boy's body at the site and accusing the forest department of failing to protect villagers from wild animal attacks.