Drama unfolds as villagers capture leopard after fierce encounter
by Ekta ChaubeyA leopard attacked a man and woman on the riverbanks, prompting villagers to retaliate. They subdued the leopard, beat it, and later handed it over to the forest department.
The incident took place on the Rohin River in Nautanwa of Maharajganj district, Uttar Pradesh on December 4.
The visual shows a group of villagers holding a leopard firmly by its neck and legs. The frightened leopard appears distressed as the villagers shout and take selfies with it.
According to reports, the incident unfolded around 2 PM when Pushpa, a local woman grazing goats near Chakdah Tola Lalpur, was attacked and injured by the leopard, which had strayed from the Sekhuai beat of the North Chowk forest range. Shortly afterward, the leopard targeted two youths, Sanjay and Satendra, from Marchhawa Tola.
In an attempt to escape, one of the youths jumped into the Rohin River, with the leopard pursuing him into the water. Hearing the commotion, a large group of villagers armed with sticks and rods rushed to the scene.
The leopard was surrounded and beaten while in the water. After much effort, the villagers managed to pull the animal out, but the prolonged submersion and the injuries it sustained proved fatal.
Forest department officials, including Deputy Ranger Rakesh Kumar and Forest Guard Shivshankar Upadhyay, arrived at the site and transported the leopard’s body to Gorakhpur Zoo for a postmortem.
Forest Range Officer Ravindra Pratap Singh confirmed the leopard’s death and stated that further action would follow after the postmortem. “The necessary steps will be taken to understand the cause of death and ensure safety in the area,” he added. The tragic event highlights the increasing frequency of human-wildlife conflicts in areas where forest boundaries overlap with human settlements.