While the biker sustained a few injuries on his hands and legs — largely due to the fall from his bike on collision — it could not be confirmed whether the leopard was injured as well.
On Monday morning, Aarey Milk Colony in Goregaon East was witness to yet another instance of man-animal conflict, when a leopard came in the way of a biker and they collided on a road near the Modern Bakery bus stop.
While the latter sustained a few injuries on his hands and legs — largely due to the fall from his bike on collision — it could not be confirmed whether the leopard was injured as well.
The biker, Kailas Borade, 44, is a clerk employed with the colony’s chief executive officer’s office. Speaking to DNA on Monday, Borade said that he considered himself fortunate for having escaped the collision with only a few injuries.
He said, “I was riding my bike at the speed of around 40kmph and keeping to the sides of the road because there are huge potholes on that stretch. At around 10.15am, when I was a few metres ahead of the Modern Bakery bus stop, a leopard suddenly jumped out of the bushes along the roadside and came in front of my bike. When I saw the leopard, I panicked and pressed both the front and back brakes on my bike, and the animal’s limbs got entangled in the front portion of my bike, causing me to fall.”
“I am not sure whether the leopard wanted to attack me or just cross the road, but I feel fortunate that I wasn’t attacked,” Borade added.
The resident of unit 16 of Aarey Milk Colony sustained injuries to his knee, elbows, thumbs and fingernails — some of which came off entirely. He also seemed to have been scratched by the leopard, as there were visible marks on his fingers. “I was given the first dose of an injection to protect me from infection, on Monday. Three more vaccines are left to be administered,” he said.
A representation has been made to the Aarey police station about the event for the records which may be forwarded to the forest department, added Borade.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}