SKARDU, Feb 14: A snow leopard created panic in Manthal village of Skardu on Sunday night, locals told Dawn here on Monday.

Spelling out details, Ali, a resident of Manthal, said that a snow leopard entered their village late on Sunday night apparently in search of food. “I was frightened as I heard a dreadful roar near my house.”

All the villagers came out of their houses after hearing the noise, he said and added that that they saw a snow leopard coming out of a cattle pen and running towards the mountain side. “I was lucky that the pen was empty as the cattle were locked in another compound,” Ali said. Panic gripped the village and the youngsters kept a vigil in the streets holding sticks and axes in their hands to avoid any further attack of the snow leopard.