Balangir, Nov. 22: Nine days after mob killed a leopard which had sneaked into a village from Barnei reserve forest, officials today arrested three persons, including the two who were seriously injured in the attack.

The three, who have been arrested under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, were remanded in judicial custody.

The leopard had sneaked into Piput village adjoining Barnei reserve forest under the Titilagarh range on November 13.

The leopard allegedly killed a goat and a cow in the village. Later, angry villagers gheraoed the animal and killed it.

Murali Majhi and Abhiram Gadtia, who were seriously injured by the leopard, had to be hospitalised in Titilagarh.

The villagers have strongly reacted to the arrests. Piput sarpanch Dolamani Thappa said the villagers had earlier informed the forest officials about the presence of the leopard several times, but nothing was done.

“The forest officials have unnecessarily arrested the two persons who were injured in the leopard attack,” Thapa said. People in the villages that surround the Barnei reserve forest are spending sleepless nights as they spotted the presence of three more leopards in the forest.

“We have informed the forest department about the presence of the leopards. But they are yet to do anything about it,” said another villager.