Police sources said the animal had, perhaps in search of food, crossed the hill separating Borivli National Park from Thane and was about to enter Patlipada, when it was overrun by the vehicle at 9.30 pm.

The mishap created a traffic jam on the road, and the flow of traffic was restored only when three local residents picked up the carcass and took it in a rickshaw to Kapurbawdi police station.

The police station in-charge then called the guards from the Borivli National Park range, and one forest sub-inspector and four forest guards came and carried the carcass to the Park.

Another leopard had been found in a temple at Vijaynagar Society in Thane just a few days ago. A watchman who noticed it informed the National park officials, who then rushed to the spot and trapped the animal.