A villager escaped imminent death while trying to rescue an injured leopard in Uttarakhand.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening when the locals spotted a leopard lying on the bank of Saryu river near Chaura village in district Bageshwar. The locals informed the forest department about the presence of the big cat.
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After receiving the information, officials of the forest department rushed to the site and discovered that the animal had suffered paralysis on the rear part of the body and was unable to move. The officials started the rescue operation and one of the locals Jagdish Singh joined them. As Jagdish tried to tie a rope around the leopard, the leopard lunged at him creating a precarious situation.
The sudden turn of events created panic among all the present on the spot. The situation turned further serious when the big cat clutched Jagdish’s leg by its jaws. This forced the villagers to charge the leopard with stones and sticks to rescue Jagdish. Two villagers pulled Jagdish to safety and few others struck the leopard to loosen its grip.
According to Bageshwar’s divisional forest officer RK Singh, “One villager became excited and was assisting the forest staff. The leopard charged and villager suffered injuries on leg and hand. He was admitted at district hospital and his condition is stable.”
Jagdish was immediately taken to a district hospital in Bageshwar. The forest department tranquilized the leopard and shifted it to the divisional office.
The leopard is being looked after by veterinary doctors and its condition is stated to be stable.
