Thrissur: The Kerala Forest Department has captured an Indian giant squirrel that terrorised residents of Mandamangalam for the past two weeks. Officials trapped the animal in a cage set up in the area on Sunday.

The squirrel, affectionately called "Manikutti," escaped from the nearby Forest Department office, where officials were fostering it. Over the past two weeks, it frequently attacked and bit locals, including a forest watcher who attempted to capture it.

To contain the situation, the Forest Department set up a trap cage. Manikutti repeatedly ambushed unsuspecting residents and bit them. A local farmer, Mathai, suffered the worst, as the squirrel bit him twice. Determined to end this, the authorities lured Manikutti into the cage using tomatoes and other fruits as bait.