Leopard beaten to death by villagers in Rajasthan

In another incident of man-animal conflict, a leopard was killed by villagers after it attacked and injured a man in Shahpura area of Jaipur, a police official said on Sunday.

In order to save the victim, the villagers beat the two-year-old leopardess to death.

A post-mortem revealed that the animal was in search of food from last five-six days and died of injuries resulting from stone-pelting, Jaipur North deputy forest conservator Yogendra Singh Kalvi said.

The police said around 6 am the villagers of Nilka village were pouring water from a community tank when the leopard attacked 32-year-old Mahesh Kumar. The villagers started pelting stones and thrashed the leopard with sticks in order to save Kumar. Nilka village is adjoining the Bhabhru forest block of Jaipur range.

Shahpura police station, Virendra Singh Rathore said that the victim sustained grievous injuries and was later referred to a hospital in Jaipur.

A forest official, on the condition of anonymity, said the leopard was hungry and thirsty and had come out of the forest to look for food and water. This happens every year during summer, as water bodies in the forests dry up.

A case was registered against unidentified men under Wild Life Conservation Act, Kalvi added.

In January, two villagers were mauled by a leopard in Peelu village of Chauhtan tehsil, Barmer. One of the victims, Hira (30) suffered a fracture in his hand, while the other, identified as Meghiya Ram (30) suffered minor bruises on his face.

According to Wildlife Census 2016, there are 41 Leopards in Jaipur, including Nahargarh (7), Nahargarh Biological Park (4), Deputy Conservator of Forest (DCF), Jaipur (21) and 9 in DCF, Jaipur (North).

There are 508 leopards in Rajasthan, with the maximum population in reserves such as Kumbalgarh (95), Mount Abu (46), Sita Mata (40), Todgarh Raoli (35) and Panther Conservation Reserve, Sumerpur (28).

(With PTI inputs)