A leopard was killed following a late-night attack on a farmer and his son in Gangda village of Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district, prompting the forest department to register a case under the Wildlife Protection Act.
The incident occurred around 10 pm on Wednesday when the wild animal strayed into the village and knocked over a parked two-wheeler near the house of farmer Babu Vaja. The noise woke Vaja, who was sleeping on the veranda of his home. According to his statement, the leopard suddenly lunged at him, injuring his forearm, and then turned on his son, Shadud, who rushed out after hearing his father’s cries.
Both men sustained multiple injuries on their hands, head and shoulders and were later admitted to a government hospital in Una for treatment. Hospital sources said their condition was stable.
Forest officials said the leopard continued to attack the two men during the confrontation. In an attempt to defend themselves, the victims struck the animal with a spear and a billhook, inflicting fatal head injuries. The leopard died at the spot.
The forest department subsequently recovered the weapons used in the incident and sent the carcass for postmortem examination. Officials said further action would depend on the findings of the investigation.
L B Bharvad, range forest officer of Jasadhan range, said statements of the injured men would be recorded once their medical condition improves. “An offence has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act as the leopard is a Schedule-I animal. We will examine whether there was an opportunity for the victims to escape or to drive the animal away instead of killing it,” he said.
While Gir Somnath district frequently reports encounters between humans and big cats due to its proximity to forest areas, officials described the death of the leopard during a village-level confrontation as an unusual outcome. A detailed report will be submitted after the investigation is completed, the forest department said.
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