Mandi: A person was killed and five others injured in a leopard attack at Balh Ghati in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday morning.
The leopard attacked people at three different locations before being shot dead by locals. Panic stricken villagers are yet to get over their panic.
Officials said that the animal carried out attacks in Chandiyal, Bhadyal and Malwana villages. The first attack was reported from Chandiyal, after which the animal moved to Bhadyal, where it injured several people. The final and fatal attack occurred in Malwana village, where a 40-year-old man was mauled to death, as reported by The Tribune.
The deceased has been identified as Balveer Singh, son of Thungu Ram, a resident of Bholi village. He was reportedl
y a migrant worker residing in Mandi and had come to visit relatives in the area.
The injured have been identified as Sahib Singh, son of Jogi Maldar, a resident of Bihar; Dinanath, son of Bikram, from Bhadyal; Champa Devi, wife of Manoj Kumar, from Malwana; Janit, son of Dinanath, from Bhadyal; and Rekha Devi, wife of Dinanath, also from Bhadyal. All the injured have been admitted to Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Government Medical College and Hospital, Nerchowk, where they are undergoing treatment.
The animal was extremely ferocious, villagers said. After the attacks, the panic-stricken residents gathered with sticks and sharp weapons to protect themselves. Despite their presence in large numbers, the animal chose to come out of cover and attack again. That was when it was shot with a licenced weapon.
Its body has been sent for an autopsy. The report may shed light on why it was so ferocious. Leopards, unless they turn maneaters, avoid humans to the extent possible. Female leopards sometimes come in for conflicts with humans to protect their cubs.
According to the newspaper, Smritika Negi, sub-divisional magistrate, Balh, confirmed the incident.