Leopard Prowls Around Empty School Amid COVID Lockdown

Story ByLee Bullen, Sub EditorJoseph Golder, AgencyNewsflash

Newsflash/@Rishikeshians

This is the moment jumpy officials try to catch a leopard in a school hallway after the big cat strayed onto the grounds and got inside the main building during lockdown.

The incident took place at the DSB International School in the city of Rishikesh in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand when the building was empty due to the spread of COVID-19.

However, one forest department worker was injured in the rescue and was sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment.

Newsflash/@Rishikeshians

According to a forest department spokesperson, the animal was a three-year-old leopardess that had strayed into the school on the morning of 24th March.

Fortunately, no one was in the school at the time due to the state-wide lockdown.

Several residents saw the leopardess straying into the school grounds and called the forest department.

An initial attempt to catch the big cat was unsuccessful and led to one workers being injured, according to local media.

However, forest officials reportedly managed to tranquilise the leopardess and it was carried out of the school.

According to forest department officer Akash Verma, the animal was transferred to the Chidiyapur Rescue Centre.

Reports said that its condition is normal although it will remain under observation for now.

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