Mandya/ Mysuru: In separate cases, a leopard and a leopardess, which had created tension at Chikkade village in Pandavapura taluk of Mandya and Marooru Kawal village in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru, have been trapped by the Forest Department.

In the first case, the leopard was found roaming in the vicinity of Kunti Betta near Chikkade village since about three months and had killed many sheep and goats.

Yesterday afternoon, the leopard had carried away a goat belonging to Murthy Gowda of the village right in front of his eyes and efforts to scare away the leopard to save the goat proved futile. The leopard carried away the goat to Kunti Betta and was found consuming the goat before the eyes of Murthy.

He immediately informed the Police and the Forest Department and RFO M.V. Anitha and staff, who rushed to the village, found the leopard eating the goat and managed to scare the leopard away and brought back the remains of the goat.

The Forest Department personnel then placed a cage in the field of Murthy Gowda in the evening and had kept the remains of the goat as bait inside the cage. The leopard, which came back to the village, walked into the cage and was trapped last night.

Murthy’s son Pradeep, who went to the field this morning, found the leopard trapped and informed his father, who in turn informed the Forest Department personnel.

Sources said that the leopard would be released into its natural habitat in the forests.

Leopardess trapped in Hunsur: In the second case, a leopardess, aged about five years, has been trapped at Marooru Kawal village in Hunsur taluk on Sunday night. The leopardess had created havoc in the village by carrying away dogs besides killing two calves recently.

Following complaints by the villagers, the Forest Department had placed a cage near the goat farm and the leopardess which came to the village on Sunday night, walked into the cage and was trapped. RFO Shanthakumaraswamy said that the leopardess was released into Nagarahole Reserve Forests.