Indore: The leopard, which was spotted on Wednesday at the New Ranibagh farm house, was finally caught on Thursday. The leopard bit and injured three people local people including a woman, child and a guard. Further, it bit and injured three rescue officials before it was finally trapped by city zoo and forest department rescue team.
The leopard was caught after being tranquilised by city zoo team. It was taken to the zoo for examination before it is released in the forest.
Rescue operation started again at around 10 am on Thursday to catch the leopard. It was reported that the leopard had entered a house in Limbodi area and bit three people.
Thursday morning: Leopard bit a woman, girl & guard
Marking its presence in Limbodi area, the leopard unable to find its way back into the jungle entered a house under-construction between 8 am to 9 am. The lady of the house (Padma) was preparing the meal with her daughter playing around.
Looking at the leopard, she screamed. Getting aggravated by the scream, the leopard pounced upon her and bit her. As the daughter screamed, he attacked the little girl, who was also injured.
The husband Khemraj Rathore heard the scream and rushed to the rescue. Carrying a stick, Rathore attacked the leopard. The leopard fled out of the house.
Furious and scared the leopard found a local guard named Shukhlal outside, who was carrying construction material. Pouncing upon the guard, the leopard bit the guard.
Residents rushed to the location citing the leopard. Looking at the large crows, the leopard rushed back into the under-construction house. Scared, angry and lonely, the leopard hid himself under the stairs in the basement of the house.
The area was cool, moist and muddy. The leopard found a safe place to hide, where no one could spot him easily.
Rescue team driver nearly escaped death
The place where leopard sat was muddy, slimy and moist. The rescue team arrived around 10 am and attempted to rescue the leopard from the area.
Among the first to arrive, rescue team driver Prakash Boghe went looking in the under-construction house for the leopard. Unaware of the presence and location of the leopard, he went into the basement.
Due to moist and muddy floor, he slipped and spotted the leopard hiding beneath the stairs. Already scared and furious with humans, leopard did not blink an eye before pouncing upon the forest official.
Leopard was probably very hungry and hence, he bit almost everyone he came close to. Under the grasp of the leopard, Boghe would have lost his life if he didn’t act bravely and run out.
Injured and bleeding, Boghe came out of the house and was immediately taken to MY hospital for treatment.
Injured rescue team officers finally tranquilised and brought out on stretcher
While the forest officials feared the leopard after its attack, residents seemed fearless as they continued to venture out and around the leopard freely. The rescue team kept planning the trap for two and half hours.
Finally, a trap was first put inside the through the top towards the leopard. In this, leopard could not be practically caught. It was just sent in as a safety precaution.
Further, the entire rescue operation was headed by city zoo rescue team that brought tranquilisers. After CCF (chief conservator of forest) arrived, the rescue operation finally geared up.
After 1 pm, the trap was finally laid to rescue the leopard covering different parts of the house. A large trap was set outside, so that the leopard does not run out towards the main door and fled again. Further, a trap was taken inside from the stairs towards the leopard.
City zoo rescue official Rakesh Yadav took the trap inside and was attacked by the leopard. He was bitten on the hand.
Rushing out after laying the trap on the leopard, Yadav took the tranquilisers inside. Until Yadav reached inside, another official was attacked by the leopard. However, this official did not suffer any injuries as the leopard attacked his head, which was safely covered with helmet.
Zoological in-charge Dr Uttam Yadav used a tranquilizer which hit the target. The leopard fainted about 15 minutes after it was tranquilised. The unconscious leopard was brought out on a stretcher with a net. The department is labelling it to be one of the largest rescue operations ever organised in Indore division.
Back to senses: leopard attacks cage, hurts self
The leopard was rushed to the zoo in an unconscious state. After some time, he regained consciousness. Finding himself in the cage, leopard was furious. Leopard hissed, spitted, growled, snarled, and made rasping yowls in the zoo and did not let anyone come near his cage.
Leopard also tried to chew the cage with teeth. He continued to attack the cage with his claws in an attempt to get out.
The leopard also harmed himself in this process. Zoo officials attempted to feed the hungry and angry leopard. They gave him meat and soft food. However, the wild leopard refused to eat anything.
Leopard was looking for an escape!
During the rescue operation which lasted till late Wednesday evening, the leopard passed several times in front of the locals and the rescue team, but he did not harm anyone.
According to wildlife experts, the leopard was only trying to get out of the habitat area safely. On the second day, he was forced to attack people because he could not find the way.
Unplanned approach
Three years after the incident in Palhar Nagar, the rescue of the Forest Department was again seen in this rescue. When the leopard was sitting quietly under the stairs of the under construction building, instead of covering the site with trap, the forest workers first tried to catch it by taking the trap. Seeing this, the leopard attacked and injured the rescue team driver.
Confused after seeing the walls!
The leopard has likely wandered in from Ralamandal region in pursuit of a kill. The leopard got agitated as everyone tried to catch him and even attack him.
It was very easy for the leopard to leave the residential area at night and several attempts were seen for the same. Usually, a leopard can run 15 to 20 kilometres continuously.
The leopard seems to have lost its way as most of the routes seemed blocked with houses. The leopard made several attempts looking for forest.
Under construction house seemed a possible way, but leopard was confused and stuck. Usually, leopards are sharp with directions, but leopard could not find a way out from the residential area leading back into the woods.
Also, starved and attacked, leopard’s abilities were depleted.
Use of force on local people
Locals also found it difficult to cope with the difficulty of catching the leopard. They were curious and fearsome. Despite the fear, locals continue to wander in large crowd to see the leopard.
Carrying sticks and hockey bats, the crowd would gather quickly around the site. A large crowd was peeping in from the terrace and another large one gathered in front of the house. Many times people even tried to injure him by throwing bats at leopards. The rescue team had to use force several times to control them.
Officials say…
Resident’s speak
