Guwahati, Dec 27 (IANS): A leopard that injured at least 13 people, including three forest officials, in Assam's Jorhat district, was tranquilised and captured by the forest department on Tuesday.

The incident took place around the Rain Forest Research Institute, located at Chenijan in Jorhat.

According to forest officials, the leopard came out of the forest and started attacking people without any provocation.

Speaking to IANS, Iqbal Ahmed, the forest ranger of Jorhat Forest Range, said that they received information about the leopard attacking people and creating a ruckus on the institute campus on Monday morning.

"A team from the forest department immediately rushed there to capture the leopard. However, it attacked and injured two of the forest officials. We then called more forest department officials, but in another attack by the leopard, another person sustained injuries," he added.

The forest department then launched an observation campaign and watched the big cat through Monday night.

"Today, around 9.30 a.m., we were able to get hold of the leopard and successfully tranquillise him," Ahmed said.

The leopard has been shifted to the Kaziranga National Park.

The forest officials are assuming that the leopard might come down from the Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.

Meanwhile, the Superintendent of Police, Jorhat district Mohan Lal Meena said that the leopard might have been staying at a dense bamboo forest located inside the Rain Forest Resarch Institute for some time.

However, the original location of the stray leopard is still unknown. Meanwhile, the forest department is keeping a close watch around the institute campus.