The Haryana Wildlife Department officials on Thursday rescued a leopard, which fell into a 15-feet deep water tank in Panchkula. The animal was in agony because of its severed right paw.

Talking to The Pioneer over the phone, Panchkula DFO (Wildlife) Shiv Singh said that injured leopard was sent to Pipli Zoo, Kurukshetra for treatment.

The leopard with one of its paws cut, fell into a water tank at Tikri village of Morni block in Panchkula district. After hearing the leopard's moans, villagers on Thursday morning found the animal in the tank, which had no water, and informed local police and wildlife officials.

The Wildlife officials then launched a rescue operation using a tranquiliser gun and net. Earlier the leopard was repeatedly leaping in an attempt to get out of the water tank. Due to the tank being deep, feline could not succeed in its attempt. According to officials, the front right paw of the leopard seemed to be cut and was bleeding.

Singh said that initially, rescuing the spotted feline proved difficult because the water tank was deep. The team members of Wildlife department, however, succeeded in their mission after a strenuous one -hour rescue operation. Rescued leopard was sent to Pipli Zoo, Kurukshetra for treatment, he added.

Sources said that the animal was in agony because of its severed right paw, the result of suspected poaching activity. Poachers often lay traps for wild boars in the areas, they said, adding that one leopard was rescued from a trap a few months ago.

In the recent few weeks incidents of wild animals straying into residential areas and crop fields have been increased to nationwide lockdown and reduction in vehicular traffic.

Residents of Pratap Nagar in Yamunanagar district are in a state of panic as attacks by a leopard have been reported thrice in the area in the past 20 days.

It had attacked a labourer working in the fields, goats and puppies in three villages during this period. Leopard pug marks in Hamirpur village of Kurukshetra keep forest officials on toes.

A senior forest official said that since the enforcement of lockdown, leopards have been spotted on roads, agriculture areas and forest range. In this situation, there are possibilities of human-wild confrontations. “We urge the general public that if any wild animal is spotted, it should be given priority for passage to avoid any conflict.”