BENGALURU, 3 APRIL

A family in Jigani on the outskirts of Bengaluru had a close encounter with a leopard that wandered into their home on Thursday morning. Acting swiftly, they locked the big cat inside and escaped unhurt, a forest official confirmed.

 The incident occurred at Pilla Reddy Layout, where Venkatesh, his wife Venkatalakshmi, and their son Nikhil reside in a rented house.

 Jigani, located near the forested Bannerghatta National Park, frequently sees wildlife movement, including leopards and elephants, the forest official added.

 As the family prepared for the day, they were startled to find the leopard inside their home.

 Overcoming their initial panic, they managed to rush out and secure the door from the outside.

 Venkatesh then alerted neighbours and informed the police and forest department.

 A forest team promptly arrived, tranquilised the animal, and safely caged it.

 Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered to witness the rescue operation.

 Police were deployed to maintain order and prevent any untoward incidents.