Lucknow, Feb 24 (IANS): An alert was sounded in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut city after a leopard entered into the city Sunday and attacked several people, officials said Monday.

As a precautionary measure, all schools and colleges have been closed and people were told to stay indoors.

The big cat was first spotted at a shop and after being attacked by locals, it fled and slipped into the cantonment hospital where the feline attacked two people.

The leopard was locked up in the hospital situated in Sadar Bazaar, but managed to escape. Forest officials could not nab the animal till Monday morning.

District officials said while army's assistance has been sought, three teams of foresters were also formed to locate and tranquilize the leopard.

Feline attacks have surfaced in many parts of Uttar Pradesh of late. In Bijnore, Moradabad and Lakhimpur districts, more than half a dozen people have been killed by a tiger in the last one month.