Rampaging wild leopard runs through homes and attacks six-year-old boy

A leopard sparked panic as it rampaged through a courtyard and a home before attacking terrified locals.

Shocking footage shows the predator climbing into a home in the city of Gurgaon before it launches itself at a crowd of stunned onlookers.

The three-year-old animal then clawed at the face of bystander Anil Kumar, 30, leaving him with blood pouring from his nose before swiping at a boy aged six.

Terrifying mobile phone clips shows the beast growling menacingly as it bounds up a concrete staircase as in front of a terrified family hiding behind metal shutters.

"It was scary. Very scary. People were trying to catch the animal but it was too dangerous.

"I live near where it happens and filmed from outside. I was safe but I know the people in the house and they were scared for their lives."

It was eventually captured using a net after a five-hour stand off with wildlife authorities last month in Sohna village.

Attack victim Anil was taken to hospital and treated for the injuries to his face, along with the child who was not named.

Officials eventually tranquillised the leopard and it was released safely back into the wild the next day.

Conservationist M D Sinha said: "A medical check up of the animal was carried out, during which it was found to be in perfectly healthy condition.

"The leopard was released in the Aravalli forest early on Friday, at a significant distance from the city."

The horrifying incident was the latest grisly case of leopards and humans coming into contact in the region, which officials put down to developments driving the big cats out of their natural forest habitat.

In November last year, horrific pictures showed a leopard being clubbed to death after it strayed into a Mandawar village in Sohna.

The cats are venturing out from India's sprawling Aravalli range where a number of large scale mining and building projects are taking place.