A forest department rescue team member sustained injuries after an injured leopard attacked him during a rescue operation in Chitrakoota Nagar under Sukher police station limits in Udaipur on Wednesday. The leopard was subsequently tranquilised and moved to the Leopard Rescue Centre at Sajjangarh Biological Park.
Details of the Incident
The injured staffer, identified as Jitendra Singh Devda, suffered wounds on both hands and his face during the encounter. According to local residents, the leopard had been struck by a vehicle on Bhairavgarh Road, causing serious injuries to its mouth. The animal was initially seen lying on the road bleeding before dragging itself into roadside bushes. Police and forest officials arrived at the scene after receiving reports from the public.
Rescue Operation
When the rescue team began searching the bushes, the leopard became agitated after being spotted in torchlight and moved deeper into the area. Forest personnel cordoned off the surroundings and launched a rescue operation. At around 12:45 am, tranquiliser expert Ajit Singh Ranawat fired a dart at the leopard. Although the shot hit the target and the sedative began taking effect, the animal had not fully lost consciousness when the team approached it about 20 minutes later.
Attack and Aftermath
The leopard suddenly attacked Devda, injuring him before forest personnel managed to retreat. Eyewitnesses reported that Devda grappled with the leopard in an attempt to protect himself until colleagues rushed to assist. About 30 minutes later, the tranquiliser took full effect and the leopard became unconscious. The rescue team then secured the animal with a net and transported it to the rescue centre for treatment and observation.
