Mumbai: Killer cat? Leopard captured at Aarey two days after toddler's death

Mumbai: Two days after a leopard killed a toddler in the Aarey Colony, the forest department trapped a male leopard in a cage from the same location on Wednesday.

However, officials said it is yet to be ascertained if it was the same animal responsible for the toddler's death. The forest department, along with its wildlife volunteers, will continue to monitor the area for a week.

Officials say the feline captured could be the same animal

An 18-month-old girl was attacked and killed by a leopard in a forested area in Unit Number 15 of Aarey Colony on Monday morning when the child followed her mother who was on her way to a temple nearby.

Soon after the heart-wrenching incident took place, the forest officials set up traps at the location of the incident and began day and night monitoring with the help of wildlife volunteers.

After the animal got trapped in the cage, it was taken to a rescue centre at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) for further examination and observation, a forest official said.

“It is yet to be ascertained if the captured leopard was behind the attack on Monday, but as it was captured from the same location, it could be the animal we have been looking for,” the official said.