Leopard on the loose: Wild big cat sparks panic in Indian hospital

Panic at a hospital in India, as a wild leopard strayed into the building and mauled a photographer who’d been tracking the animal.

According to reports, the hospital caretaker first spotted the leopard, as it entered the male ward with heavily armed personnel being called in to cordon off the area.

Normally crowded markets in the town of Meerut were left empty, with authorities also ordering schools and colleges to close until the big cat was caught.

“There’s so much fear of the leopard that the administration has ordered to close schools. We’re waiting for the administration to inform us whether to reopen the market or not.”

Instances such as this are not uncommon in the country with its big cats and their habitats under increasing threat, the animals are being forced to stray into more populated areas.

Difficult words: stray (to move from the place you should be), maul (injure), spot (see), male ward (part of the hospital with male patients), heavily armed (carrying big weapons), personnel (people), cordon off (close), big cat (large cat that can hurt or kill people), administration (government).