Pilibhit, Jan 3 (IANS): A 10-month-old female leopard cub was killed after being hit by an unidentified vehicle near the Pauta station under the jurisdiction of Barkhera police station in Uttar Pradesh's Pilibhit.

According to witnesses, the cub was crossing the road with her mother and another cub when the accident took place.

Police arrived at the site to manage the crowd of onlookers.

Rakesh Kumar Singh, the divisional forest officer, said the autopsy of the cub’s carcass was conducted in Pilibhit by a panel of three government veterinary officers, including Dr Daksh Gangwar of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR).

Piyush Mohan Srivastav, forest range officer, said locals were unaware of the presence of the leopard and her cubs in the area. Now, with the surviving cub and mother spotted in a village far from the forest, steps are being taken to ensure their safety.

“We will install camera traps and deploy field teams to trace the mother and cub for their safe rescue. This is essential to prevent potential man-animal conflicts,” Srivastav said.

Dr Daksh Gangwar, the veterinary officer of PTR, said the vehicle hit the cub’s head, resulting in brain haemorrhage and a broken jaw. He said the cub’s viscera was preserved for various tests.

A departmental case under appropriate sections of the Wildlife Protection Act has been registered against the unidentified vehicle driver.