Chennai: Panic gripped Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu's textile center, after a leopard attacked two people, one of whom was a forest warden, on Thursday. According to forest department officials, the event occurred near Tiruppur's Ammanapalayam, and the leopard is still on the loose.

Forest rangers and police officers are on the watch for the leopard, which will be captured after being sedated by veterinary surgeons.

According to forest department officials, the leopard was moving from one location to another, causing terror in the region. At 8 a.m. on Thursday, it attacked Rajenthran (50), a garment factory worker, in a garden inside the factory.

With injuries, Rajenthran was admitted to Tiruppur Government Medical College. A team of forest officials arrived on the scene and attempted to capture the leopard, but the animal mauled a forest guard, Prem Kumar, in the ensuing confusion. He was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries before being released. Varadharajan (62) and Mottayian alias Maran (68) of Papankulam in Avinashi were also attacked by the leopard. When they were attacked, both farmers were on their way to a maize field near their home.

Manikantan, a forest guard, was also attacked later in the day. With the leopard on the loose in Tamil Nadu, the state's forest, police, revenue, and veterinary departments are all on high alert.

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