Forest department officials managed to capture a runaway leopard that injured at least six residents of coastal villages in East Godavari district.<br /><br />The leopard was first spotted at Ankampalem village near Atreyapuram on February 4, where it injured four residents. <br /><br />A trap was laid for it by forest officials, but the leopard managed to escape. It later reappeared at Balusulanka on Thursday morning where it attacked two villagers.<br /><br />When the villagers retaliated, the leopard tried to escape and entered an abandoned hut, which the villagers promptly locked from the outside and alerted officials. <br /><br />With the help of veterinary surgeons and personnel from the police and revenue departments, the forest officials made a series of attempts to capture the leopard holed inside the hut.<br /><br />Veterinary surgeons began administering medication to the leopard which was weak and dehydrated. <br /><br />The leopard was then shifted to Visakhapatnam amidst tight security and medical care.<br /><br />Officials said a decision would be taken based on the leopard’s health as to whether it would be housed at the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park or released into the wild.