A leopard cub was rescued from a house in Jalpaiguri district on Saturday morning.
Sources said the cub had taken shelter under a table in the open verandah of a house in Matiali block.
On Saturday morning, as Ratan Sutradhar, a resident of Khariabandarbusty of the block, and his family members woke up, they saw the cub seated under a table outside.
They panicked and informed others. Soon, hundreds of people gathered in the spot as the scared cub moved into a corner.
“Over the past few days, cattle and poultry were going missing. We suspected a leopard had sneaked into the garden. Today (Saturday), we found the cub,” said Ratan.
Foresters were informed. Soon, a team from Khunia wildlife squad reached the spot. They caged the cub and took it away.
“We suspect its mother and some other cubs are roaming around as there is a small tea plantation nearby. We have requested forest officials to put a cage in the area to trap them,” said a resident.
Sajal Kumar Dey, range officer of the wildlife squad, confirmed that the cub had been recovered.
“So far as the demand of locals is concerned, we will consult our senior officers to make further moves,” he said.
Leopard attack
A 70-year-old resident dwelling at a tea estate in Nagrakata block of Jalpaiguri was injured in a leopard attack on Saturday afternoon.
Chitra Bahadur Chhetri of Dharanipur tea estate had taken his cattle to a vacant land for grazing. Suddenly, a leopard pounced on him from a bush. It mauled Chhetri in his back and right hand.
As Chhetri raised an alert, the leopard fled. Others rushed and rescued him. He was taken to the rural hospital in Sulkapara and is still under treatment.
The state forest department will pay the cost of his treatment, said a forester.