A leopard that killed a seven-year-old boy in the Satpura Tiger Reserve on June 15 was captured late Friday night, ending a tense five-day search operation. The leopard had dragged Prahlad Irpache from the courtyard of his home in village katiyadhana around 7 pm. Family members rushed out on hearing his cries and threw stones, forcing the animal to release him. However, the child had already sustained fatal injuries. Local media reports claimed the leopard circled the house for nearly half an hour after the attack, preventing the family from rushing the injured boy to hospital. Forest officials said the animal appeared unusually aggressive. The leopard was eventually captured near the same house using a goat as bait. Two leopards had earlier been seen on camera traps. Officials suspect another may still be lurking in the area. The captured animal will be released into the dense core forest of Bori. The rescue operation was led by Field Director Rakhi Nanda, SDO Sanjeev Sharma, and Ranger Umesh Maru. Ten surveillance cameras and six cages remain in place. Patrolling has been intensified and residents have been urged to avoid venturing out at night. The family has awarded a Rs 8 lakh compensation by the state government.

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