A group of men in Gujarat yesterday beat a leopard to death after it strayed into a village.
On Friday, a three-year-old leopard strayed into Rojmal village and attacked an animal.
Enraged by the incident, residents chased and captured the big cat and beat him with sticks and rocks.
The feline later succumbed to its injuries while it was being taken to an animal care centre.
According to forest officials, an inquiry has been ordered into the incident following which cases are expected to be registered under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Increasing human population has depleted the habitat of wild animals, forcing them to stray into human settlements - attacking people and cattle - and often getting killed in return.
Wild animals like leopards, panthers, elephants and rhinoceros cause human and material loss in villages nearby forest areas as they often stray into inhabited areas in search of food.