Pune: Three injured in leopard attacks in Ambegaon taluka

PIMPRI CHINCHWAD: Two bikers and a pedestrian were injured in separate leopard attacks on Thursday and Friday at Narodi village in Ambegaon taluka , around 80 km from Pune.

“The first incident occurred around 5.30 am on Thursday on Ghodegaon-Narodi-Manchar Road when a leopard pounced on Goraksha Hule (55) who was on his way to Manchar on a bike to catch a bus to Satara.

He suffered serious injuries in the attack,” said RR Momin, the forest guard.

Hule was driving past a stream near Hule sthal no. 1 when a leopard suddenly pounced on him from behind. “Since I was wearing a jerkin and had a cloth tied around my neck to protect myself against the cold, the leopard could not bite my neck. Moreover, since I was continuously trying to fend it off with my left hand, the leopard fell down and caught hold of my left leg due to which my trouser tore and blood started oozing out.” Ghule said.

Hule also sustained scratches on his chest. “I continued driving the bike even as three leopard cubs tried to attack me from the right, but in vain,” he said.

Hule shouted for help but no one came to his rescue as he was 500 metres away from the village. “The mother leopard chased me for around 50 feet, but I kept on driving and sped away to the government hospital in Manchar even though I was badly injured. I do not know how I got the courage to fight the leopard.”

He reached Manchar hospital around 6 am following which his treatment began. “After half-an-hour, my son Parshuram called me to know whether I had reached Manchar. I narrated the incident after which he and his wife came to meet me. Later, the sarpanch, police patil and forest department officials came to meet me. The forest department officials later shifted me to Ghodegaon Rural Hospital for further treatment,” said Hule, who was released from the hospital on Saturday.

In another incident on Friday, a leopard attacked Aatish Shevale (19) around 6.15 pm at Hule sthal no. 2 when he was ferrying milk on his bike to sell at a dairy. “Shevale sustained scratches on his leg. The animal fled from the spot after he shouted for help,” said Machhindra Shevale, his father.

Around 8.20pm the same day, a leopard attacked Vivek Yerande (29) when he was standing near a crematorium along Ghod river. He sustained deep scratches on his left hand.

Both Shevale and Yerande were provided primary treatment at the Ghodegaon Rural Hospital and later released.

“We have started night patrolling in the area. Yesterday, we spotted a leopard at Narodi village. We have installed a cage in the evening on Saturday. Another cage will be installed tomorrow,” said BM Sable, round forest officer, Ghodegaon range.

Forest guard Momin said that some villagers claimed to have spotted a female leopard with two cubs, while others said they have seen a leopard with three cubs.

Narodi village is located 10 km from Manchar town. Ghod river passes through the village surrounded by hills. Sugar cane is cultivated on a large scale, which provides an ideal hiding place for leopards.