STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A leopard cat died after being run over by a speeding vehicle in the Panikhaiti area on Sunday.
The incident occurred near a Kali temple along the busy Narengi-Chandrapur road when the feline attempted to cross the stretch. Eyewitnesses stated that a fast-moving car struck the animal before it could reach the other side, leading to its death on the spot.
Forest officials suspected that the animal had strayed from nearby forested areas into human habitation, possibly in search of food or shelter. The increasing overlap between expanding urban settlements and natural habitats was cited as a likely factor behind such incidents.
The species is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which affords it the highest level of legal protection, prohibiting hunting and trade.
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