(Image source from: Leopard on the loose)

A leopard on the loose triggered panic in the north Indian city of Meerut after it strayed inside a hospital and then escaped into a cinema before jumping inside an apartment block while evading captors and injuring two people.

Schools and colleges were shut after the leopard was seen prowling the city's streets.

‘Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to track the leopard down. We have launched a massive hunt for the beast,’ said additional district magistrate S.K. Dubey.

The cat was first spotted inside an empty ward of an army hospital on Sunday. Soon after wildlife officers were informed. They successfully fired a tranquilizer dart into it.

‘But despite that he managed to break (out through) the iron grilles and escaped. He then sneaked into the premises of a cinema hall before entering an apartment block. After that we lost track of the cat,’ he said.

Authorities have asked markets in the city to be kept shut until the cat, which injured six people, was captured.

AW: Suchorita Choudhury