The leopard attacked villager Popat Mahadu Shelar at the pumping station and fled after villagers threw wooden sticks on the beast.
A 56-year-old resident of Shelarwadi hamlet near Dehu Road was seriously injured when a leopard attacked him on Friday morning. Forest officials have laid a trap to catch the wild cat.
Villagers spotted the leopard near Kundmala, Shelarwadi early on Friday morning. Vinayak Lokhande, an eyewitness said, “We saw the animal in the bushes near the pumping station by riverside. We thought it was a dog.”
The leopard attacked villager Popat Mahadu Shelar at the pumping station and fled after villagers threw wooden sticks on the beast.
Shelar was seriously injured when mauled by the big cat and had to be admitted to Pavana Hospital near Somatanephata. Forest officers, the police, local villagers and activists of NGO Friends of Nature rushed to the spot after the carnivore was sighted.
Deputy conservator of forests (Pune division) RS Kadam told DNA, “A trap has been laid at Kundmala to catch the leopard and we hope to trap the animal soon.”
“Preliminary investigations reveal the leopard to be full-grown and healthy, but we are unsure about its gender. Pugmarks have been traced at the spot,” he said.
Friends of Nature’s Mahesh Mahajan said, “The leopard was sighted in the military area and could be moving in this locality for the past couple of days. The animal appears to have got excited due to the crowd.”
Pavana Hospital chief executive officer Dr SK Wadhorkar told DNA, “Shelar’s condition is stable. His right-hand shoulder bone was fractured and a surgery was performed on him.” Hospital authorities said that Shelar has sustained deep bite wounds too.
Local corporator Ashok Shelar said, “This is the first attack by leopard on a human being in Shelarwadi. Residents of nearby Begadewadi village claim to have spotted the leopard in their area around 10.30 pm on Thursday.”
‘it attacked me from back’
Popat Mahadu Shelar who narrowly escaped the leopard attack lived the horror of attack for five minutes. Shelar owns a farm near the pump house situated near Kundmala, Shelarwadi, where the animal was sighted.
As villagers gathered near the pumping station on receiving reports of the animal’s presence, Shelar stood alone by the roadside. Suddenly, the leopard stepped out of the pumping station and pounced on him.
Recalling the incident, Shelar said, “It was a bulky, huge and roaring wild cat. It pierced its nails on my back. I curled up to protect my head. Villagers immediately threw sticks towards the leopard and it released me. I fell on the ground and the cat charged at me again. I do not remembered anything after that.”
Shelar is the father of two sons and a married daughter. His son said, “He was in deep shock. We were worried but he was saved by God’s grace.”
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