Panic prevails in Rajasthan town for 5 hours as strayed leopard leaves three injured

Three persons including a forest volunteer were injured in attacks by a strayed leopard in Toda Raisingh town of Rajasthan’s Tonk district on Monday.

A police official said that Van Mitra Rakesh spotted the big cat in bushes along the roadside in the town’s market area at around 8:45 am. He alerted people to the predator’s presence and moved closer to the bushes to assess the situation.

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The leopard suddenly charged and pounced on Rakesh. He fell to the ground but somehow managed to fend off the animal, which ran away in confusion before entering a liquor shop about half a kilometre away.

The leopard attacked a middle-aged man, Fateh Lal, who was sitting in front of the liquor counter. It then entered the shop, ransacked the premises and seriously injured 25-year-old salesman Sanjay.

However, the salesman did not lose his presence of mind. He somehow freed himself from the leopard’s grip, jumped out of the shop and immediately pulled down the shutters, trapping the animal inside.

The police and the Van Mitra then informed the wildlife authorities in Jaipur, who dispatched a rescue team to Toda Raisingh to tranquilise and rescue the leopard.

The rescue team tranquilised and captured the leopard at around 2 pm, bringing an end to more than five hours of panic in the town.

The injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Rakesh was discharged after receiving first aid, while Fateh Lal and Sanjay were referred to Jaipur for further treatment.