A terrifying wildlife encounter unfolded in the urban landscape of Mira Bhayandar when a leopard entered a residential flat and attacked a young woman as she slept. The incident, which caused panic in the Parijat housing colony, left multiple residents injured and raised serious concerns about human-animal conflict in the region.
The Night of Terror: Leopard Enters Through Balcony
The victim, 23-year-old Anjali Tak, was asleep in her bed in Bhayandar (East) when the predator entered her home. The leopard gained access through an open balcony door and immediately pounced on Anjali. The attack resulted in severe lacerations across her scalp, left eyebrow, eyelid, nose, upper jaw, and lips. The injuries were so deep that bone was visible in some areas.
Anjali's mother and younger sister had stepped onto the balcony to investigate sudden noise and chaos in their building when the leopard slipped inside. They also sustained minor injuries. Displaying remarkable presence of mind despite her critical condition, Anjali managed to lock the leopard inside the bedroom, potentially preventing further tragedy.
Emergency Medical Response and Surgery
Anjali was rushed to KEM Hospital in Parel, where she underwent urgent surgery. Dr. Vinita Puri, Head of Plastic Surgery at the hospital, led the medical team. Dr. Puri stated that the quick intervention by plastic surgeons was crucial in "fixing" Anjali's face. "Both patients had very deep cuts, but the fact that we did the surgeries at the earliest should help their healing process," she said, referring also to another victim, Deepak Bhoumick, who suffered a torn left forearm.
While the immediate surgical repair was successful, Dr. Puri indicated that scarring is inevitable. The full extent of the scarring will only become apparent with time. The attack has had a profound personal impact on Anjali, leading to the postponement of her wedding, which was scheduled for the end of January, as confirmed by her cousin, Bhavesh Kumavat.
Capture, Aftermath, and Government Action
The leopard's rampage occurred on Friday morning. For approximately six hours, the animal moved through the Parijat housing colony, jumping from balcony to balcony, entering homes, and injuring a total of seven residents before it was finally captured.
On Saturday, Forest Minister Ganesh Naik and Mira Bhayandar MLA Narendra Mehta visited the injured in the hospital. Minister Naik announced that the state government would bear all medical expenses and provided immediate financial aid of Rs 50,000 to each victim. He also handed a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the Tak family specifically.
Naik clarified that the captured leopard was about four years old and had traveled from Ghodbunder village through the mangroves before entering the residential area. He assured that the animal would be tagged and its future movements monitored. The family expressed gratitude for the financial assistance and also thanked Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and the local firemen who bravely confronted the leopard during the rescue.
In a separate event, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde felicitated the five firemen who played a key role in managing the dangerous situation, highlighting the bravery of the rescue personnel.
