Chennai, Jan 27 (IANS): Panic gripped the textile capital of South India, Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu after a leopard attacked two people, including a forest guard, on Thursday.

The incident occurred at Ammanapalayam in Tiruppur and the leopard is still on the prowl, according to forest department officials.

Forest personnel and police officials are on the lookout for the leopard with veterinary surgeons also in the team to catch the animal after sedating it.

Forest department officials said that the leopard was moving from one place to another and panic has gripped the area. It attacked a garment factory worker, Rajenthran (50) in a garden inside the garment factory at 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Rajenthran was admitted to Tiruppur Government Medical College with injuries. A team of forest officials reached the spot and tried to capture the leopard and in the chaos, the animal attacked a forest guard, Prem Kumar. He sustained minor injuries and was discharged after basic treatment in a hospital.

The leopard also attacked Varadharajan (62) and Mottayian alias Maran (68) of Papankulam in Avinashi. Both the farmers had gone to the maize field near their home when they were attacked.

Later in the day, Manikantan a forest guard was also attacked. With the leopard on the prowl, forest, police, revenue, and the veterinary department of Tamil Nadu are on high alert.