A black leopard attacked workers at a brick kiln in the Jugnupur area of Dhaurpur Forest Range, Lakhimpur Kheri on Monday. In a dramatic confrontation, a youth managed to subdue the leopard by knocking it down and pinning it to the ground while clutching its mouth. Alerted by the commotion, villagers gathered and began throwing bricks and stones at the trapped animal.
Disturbing footage of the incident circulating on social media shows the leopard struggling to free itself from the youth's grip. The video shows villagers hurling bricks at the animal while it remains restrained. According to reports, injured leopard eventually escaped, though the young man sustained injuries in the encounter.
Forest department officials arriving at the scene faced further danger when the wounded leopard attacked them, leaving five people injured. After considerable effort, forest personnel successfully tranquilised and captured the big cat.
The incident began when the leopard, hiding in the chimney of Medailal Verma's brick kiln in Jugnupur village, attacked 35-year-old Mihilal from Girdhari Purwa. Nearby field workers intervened by pelting the leopard with bricks and stones, forcing it to release its victim and retreat into a banana plantation. Villagers promptly notified Regional Forest Officer Nripendra Chaturvedi.
As the forest department team approached the plantation with nets, the leopard launched another attack, injuring Forest Guard Rajesh Kumar Dixit, Ranger Nripendra Chaturvedi, PRV Guard Ram Sajivan, and villager Ikbal Khan. The injured were initially treated at CHC Dhaurhara before Mihilal, Ikbal Khan and Forest Guard Rajesh Dixit were referred to Lakhimpur for further care. Ranger Chaturvedi and the PRV guard, having sustained minor injuries, were discharged after treatment.
Additional police forces led by Inspector-in-Charge Suresh Kumar Mishra and CO Shamsher Bahadur Singh arrived to support forest officials. With villagers surrounding the area, forest personnel eventually succeeded in tranquilising and capturing the leopard.
Regional Forest Officer Nripendra Chaturvedi confirmed that four to five people, including forest staff and the young villager, were injured in the attacks. The leopard has been safely tranquilised and taken into custody.
