Meerut, Feb 25 (IANS): Schools and market places reopened Tuesday after being closed since Sunday as a precautionary measure after a leopard entered the city and attacked several people, officials said.

"Although precautionary measures are being taken, I am sure the big cat has left the city," said Sushant Sharma, divisional forest officer, Meerut.

On Tuesday morning, all premises were screened and parents were asked to company their children while travelling to schools.

Police have been deployed along roads to assist people in need. In addition to police, paramilitary forces and army were also deployed in the cantonment area, the official said.

The big cat was first spotted Sunday at a shop. After residents attacked it, the leopard fled and slipped into the cantonment hospital where it attacked two people.

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