A leopard that attacked 15 people, including women and children, was captured in video displaying its aggressive behavior by jumping over a residential fence and then leaping onto a van and ripping off its window deflector.
An instant later, the leopard was fleeing down the street, as shown in footage captured Monday by an official from the Indian Forest Service in Jorhat, Assam, India.
#WATCH | Assam: 13 persons including three forest staff were injured after being attacked by a leopard in Jorhat. All injured persons were immediately admitted to a local hospital. All the injured persons are out of danger: Mohan Lal Meena, SP, Jorhat (26.12) pic.twitter.com/TQ92Z248NR
— ANI (@ANI) December 27, 2022
The leopard is believed to have left the neighboring Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in search of food when it went on the attack, as reported by The India Times.
Most of the people who were injured were from the Rain Forest Research Institute campus on the outskirts of Jorhat. Campus residents have been advised to remain indoors.
“Some residents had a close shave as the leopard was roaming,” official Ranjit Kowar told The Times of India.
“The leopard attacked two forest officials in the morning,” forest range officer Iqbal Ahmed told the TOI.
“Many of the injured were bitten and needed hospitalization,” hospital spokesperson Purnima Barua told TOI. “They seem to be out of danger now. But more people with injuries are coming to the Jorhat Medical College Hospital.”
Two children, a woman and two forest officials were among those taken to the hospital.
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“It has become very aggressive,” Kowar told TOI. “We have laid traps inside the campus to capture it. Efforts are on to track it.”
Thus far, the leopard has avoided capture.
Photo courtesy of the Indian Forest Service.