Patna, Dec 21 (IANS): The Central School on the Air Force Station premises in Bihar's Bihta town has been shut indefinitely amid a leopard scare in the area.

The wild animal has been spotted multiple times inside the Air Force Station Campus since October 25.

The school, catering to around 1,100 children, was closed for an indefinite period to ensure safety.

The officials of the Air Force Station, district forest, and Wildlife Department have been making efforts to capture the big cat.

Students, particularly those preparing for board exams of Class 10 and 12, are facing significant academic disruption.

The reliance on online classes has yielded average results in pre-board exams, raising concerns about their performance in the final board exams.

Alongside the leopard, wild boars have been sighted near the school. Wild boars are known for aggressive behaviour, including fatal attacks on villagers, further heightening fear among locals.

Parents and residents are increasingly worried about the safety of their children and the academic future of students.

Gaurav Ojha, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Patna said: "We have placed cages inside the campus premises to capture the wild animal. A leopard approached the cage but avoided entering it. We are planning to deploy expert wildlife teams with appropriate resources to capture the leopard and safely relocate it."

"We are using camera traps and drone surveillance to monitor leopard movements to set up targeted trap areas," he said.

The leopard was sighted for the first time during the COVID-19 inside the Air Force Station premises. Despite this, no successful capture has been made.

The Air Force Station area spread over 900 acres is a haven for wildlife due to dense vegetation. This has resulted in frequent human-wildlife encounters and heightened risks for both animals and humans.