Leopard's late night prowl causes panic in Beed village, Forest dept steps up patrolling

Beed, Nov 9 (PTI) A leopard resting in the middle of the Beed-Ahilyanagar highway in Beed district caused panic and a traffic jam in the night hours, with a video of the incident going viral, officials said on Monday. The incident, which occurred on Sunday night, is the latest in a string of feline sightings in the hill ranges around several villages in Ashti tehsil.

While locals claimed the population of leopards has steadily grown over the past few years, the forest department maintains that the big cats keep shifting their locations.

A young farmer from Bavi was killed in a leopard attack last month, triggering panic.

Ashti Range Forest Officer Amol Munde said patrolling teams are active and urged villagers to follow safety instructions.

"People should avoid panic if they spot a leopard and take necessary precautions. Patrolling is underway," he added. PTI COR NSK