Forest watcher among four injured in Kheri leopard attack

LAKHIMPUR KHERI : Four people, including a forest watcher, were injured when a leopard attacked them near Damubehar village in Dhaurahra forest range of north Kheri forest division on Tuesday morning, said Anil Shah, forest range officer, Dhaurahra.

The injured identified as forest watcher Vinay Tiwari, villagers Khushhal, Deshavari and Gulshan were rushed to local health centre where their condition was reported to be out of danger. After the incident, the leopard hid in a sugarcane field. Swinging into action, Dhaurahra range forest officials started combing the area to locate the leopard.

Villagers assembled in scores there surrounded the sugarcane field where the leopard was suspected to be hiding. However, the leopard was yet to be located when report last came in.

As per reports, the leopard had first attacked Khushhal when he went to the fields to relieve himself. When Khushhal cried for help, Deshavari and Gulshan, who were working in the neighbouring fields, rushed to his rescue. However, the leopard attacked them too.

When informed, forest officials, including forester Rishabh Pratap Singh and watcher Vinay Tiwari, rushed the area and attempted to locate the big cat on their vehicles. Later, they started combing the field on foot during which the leopard attacked Vinay Tiwari who sustained injuries on his shoulder. The leopard later ran to another cane field.

The area where the attacks took place is close to Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary forests where a number of leopards are found. Two leopards from this range have been captured by forest authorities since October last year after deaths of three people in leopard attacks were reported here.