Leopard strays into residential area in India, injures 4

New Delhi – A leopard strayed into a residential area in northern India on Thursday and injured at least four people before it was locked inside a room, a forest ranger said.

Kuldip Kumar said a group of rangers reached the area in Jalandhar city in northern Punjab state after residents alerted police. He said the leopard bit one ranger and clawed two others when they tried to capture it with a net, and injured at least one resident who pelted it with rocks. The injuries were not life threatening.

Kumar says the animal entered a room in a building and was locked inside by the rangers.

Conflicts between humans and animals are on the rise in India, where people have begun living in areas near and even inside reserves.