Leopard Attack in India Leaves 1 Dead, 4 Injured

Authorities say a fully grown leopard attacked five people on Saturday, leaving one dead after it strayed into a residential area in the north-east Indian city of Guahati.

The Washington Post reports that residents in Gauhati said the animal attacked a 50-year-old lawyer as he talked on his mobile phone outside his home. He was rushed to hospital where he eventually succumbed to his wounds.

In addition to the deceased, four other people were injured, including a man who had part of his scalp ripped off by the animal as he tried to defend himself.

One man managed to shut the leopard inside a house before forest officials came to sedate it, The Daily Mail reported, adding that it took rescuers 45 minutes and three shots to tranquilize the animal.

While animal experts believe the leopard may have wandered into the city in search of food, conservationists point out that rampant deforestation around Indian cities is forcing wild animals to leave their natural habitats.

Gauhati wildlife official Utpal Bora says authorities plan to release the animal at a wildlife park about 120 miles west of the city.

Below is a local news clip on the India leopard attack:

via Telegraph