Lilongwe, Malawi: A lion suspected to have escaped from Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park has injured at least three people and killed six cattle in Malawi’s border district of Chitipa, officials said.

Police spokesperson for Chitipa, Sergeant Gladwell Simwaka on Friday told media that Malawian game rangers and police officers have intensified the hunt for the beast. There is hope they will succeed in bringing it back or killing it if necessary.

“The lion is still causing problems in Chitipa and on Thursday (July 19) it was spotted at Kasisi village where it had injured three people who were trying to kill it with spears and axes,” Xinhua news agency quoted Simwaka as saying.

Police have warned the people living nearby to be on guard as the hunt continues.

According to a reporter, residents in the area are staying indoors and have stopped grazing their animals for fear of the lion.