Thrissur: Residents of Chalakudy and nearby villages are in a state of panic as a leopard continues to stray into residential areas. On Friday night, the wild animal entered the courtyard of a house in Kadukutti and attacked a dog.

According to Manorama News, the leopard strayed into the courtyard of a house occupied by an elderly woman, Ammini Amma, and her family.

The family reported that they woke up at midnight on Friday after their dog began barking continuously. When Ammini’s son opened the window and lighted a torch towards the kennel, he saw the leopard dragging their dog.

“At first, I thought it was another dog. But when we turned on the lights outside, I confirmed it was a leopard. It ran away swiftly as soon as the courtyard lights came on,” Ammini’s son told Manorama News.

The leopard has been spotted in Chalakudy and nearby areas for the past two weeks. Earlier, it was seen in Koratty. On Friday morning, residents reported the animal roaming near Sacred Heart College, which is located close to Chalakudy railway station.

Following complaints from Koratty residents, the forest department installed 15 cameras and three cages to capture the animal. However, forest officials have yet to track the leopard as it keeps moving from one village to another.

Local authorities have advised residents to avoid travelling at night due to the ongoing leopard scare.