The administration on Wednesday sounded an alert in surrounding areas and asked locals to be cautious.

A control room has been set up at Gopalpur and the situation was being closely monitored, officials said.

The leopards escaped from the zoo last night after some miscreants cut the wires along the fence.

A third leopard, who was injured and could not run fast, had also escaped but was captured while two others ran into the forests.

A case has been registered and investigation is on to nab the culprits and all efforts are being made to capture the leopards said, DFO (wildlife) Nitin Patil.

When the attendants enter the enclosures in the morning, three leopards were found missing after which search operations were launched.