A leopard injured a forest staff member in Bhilwara district before succumbing during treatment at Bijolia Van Naka on Saturday.
Forest officials reported that a one-year-old female leopard wandered into Kansya village around 6 pm and hid under a culvert. Villagers, initially scared, eventually captured it and informed the forest department. A team promptly arrived to rescue the animal.
Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gaurav Garg, told The Indian Express, “When the leopard saw the crowd, it panicked and attacked the villagers. However, the villagers somehow managed to capture and tie its legs. When our team arrived, we immediately took the situation under control and decided to take the animal to the forest. While the rescue team was on its way to a hospital, the leopard attacked one of our rangers, Prakash Sharma. The ranger received minor injuries on his hand and is stated to be out of danger. But the leopard did not survive while it was being treated by a veterinarian.”
Garg mentioned they are awaiting the post-mortem report to confirm the reasons for the attack and the cause of death.
Sources indicated that the leopard was transported without being tranquilized, leading to the attack on Sharma, who was seated in the front of the vehicle.
Sharma was initially treated at Bijolia Hospital before being referred to Bhilwara Hospital. Concerns have been raised about the forest team’s preparedness for the rescue operation.
Bhilwara district, part of the Mukundra Tiger Reserve, frequently encounters leopards, increasing man-animal conflicts. According to Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) data, around 100 leopards died in Rajasthan in 2023.
