Terrifying visuals of a leopard pouncing on a truck cleaner near Katedan on the outskirts of Hyderabad surfaced on Saturday.
Two days after the leopard was seen resting in the middle of a road, the CCTV visuals of its attack on a lorry cleaner have emerged. In the same video clip, the feline is also seen facing the charge from a pack of dogs.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning near Katedan underpass. The passers-by were shocked to see the wild cat resting in the middle of the road close to the median.
When the motorists and the locals gathered near the road, clicking pictures and taking videos from their mobile phones, the leopard charged at them. A driver and cleaner of a truck who were also watching the animal, too, ran in panic. While the driver managed to climb onto the cabin, the cleaner scrambled for safety and then ran toward the truck to climb on to the cabin to save himself.
The leopard, which emerged by jumping over the road divider pounced at him and tried to drag him by his feet. It was a close shave for the cleaner as he managed to lift himself and escaped with minor injury on his leg.
The cat was then seen scurrying to find a route to escape by jumping over what appears to be a closed shop. Meanwhile, about six stray dogs came barking and charging at the feline, which kept chasing them.
The leopard later strayed into a nearby farmhouse and despite the best efforts by a team of forest officials and police to trap, it remained elusive. The team had installed trap cameras and arranged cages with bait to trap it but it managed to give them the slip.
The forest officials late Friday said the leopard might have made its way towards reserved forests in Chilkur.
Some people at Himayatsagar on the city outskirts on Saturday informed the police the leopard was seen near the reservoir. The forest officials said they were trying to ascertain the facts.
( With inputs from IANS )