Dehradun: Locals of Uttarakhand’s Pauri district heaved a sigh of relief on Tuesday when they came to know that the man-eating leopard that had unleashed a reign of terror in the area has been finally caged by the forest department.

The leopard took the bait and it was finally caged on Monday

According to a forest department official on Tuesday, a trap was laid to catch the wildcat which had killed a man, hailing from Bihar, at the Pabo market area last week.

Immediately after the incident, the residents informed the forest officials about the leopard which was frequently spotted in the area for the past one month.

As per villagers account, this leopard came near the village to prey on domestic livestock. “Gauging its movement near the village a box trap with goat as a bait was activated. The leopard took the bait and it was finally caged on Monday,” said the forest official.

Experts feel that there is paucity of prey animals in Pauri forests and the forest cover has also dwindled and this has led to carnivore like leopards to stray in search of prey near human settlements.