Pithoragarh (U'khand), Nov 9 (PTI) A leopard suspected to have mauled to death a toddler in the Kothera village of this Uttarakhand district on October 30 has been captured, a forest official said on Thursday.

Forest department personnel trapped the leopard late on Wednesday in one of two cages put up in the village after the alleged incident, Divisional Forest Officer (Pithoragarh) Jeewan Mohan Dagare said.

Also Read | Uttarakhand Day 2023 Date: Know the History & Significance of Uttarakhand Sthapna Diwas That Marks the State Foundation Day.

The leopard has been sent to a rescue centre at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, Ramnagar. Its DNA samples were sent to the Wildlife Institute of India, the officer added.

Whether the leopard that was captured is the same animal that killed the child can only be confirmed after the DNA test is conducted, Dagare said.

Also Read | CAT 2023 Exam Admit Card Out at iimcat.ac.in: Hall Ticket for Common Eligibility Test Examination Released, Know Steps To Download.

The cages installed in the village will remain in place and patrolling by forest staff will continue, he added.

One-and-a-half-year-old Anshu was allegedly lifted by a leopard when he was playing on the compound of his home on October 30. His body was recovered from the bushes by villagers.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)