Gujarat Man, 60, Kills Leopard In Gir Somnath To Save Son From Attack

Gir Somnath: A 60-year-old farmer in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district allegedly resorted to attacking a leopard, and ended up killing the wild animal, in an attempt to save his son after the it entered their village home and injured both of them late on Wednesday night.

According to reports, the incident took place in Gangda village in the Una area when the leopard happened to stray into a residential stretch. The wild cat created panic after knocking over a parked two-wheeler outside the family’s house. The noise woke the farmer, who was resting in the veranda, following which the animal allegedly attacked him. Hearing his father’s cries, his 27-year-old son promptly rushed to help, but the leopard then turned towards the son. During the encounter that ensued, the animal reportedly attacked both men repeatedly, leaving them with injuries on their arms, head and shoulders.

Despite being wounded, the father managed to retrieve farm tools kept near the house, including a spear and a sickle. He then struck the leopard while trying to pull his son away. The animal reportedly collapsed and died during the confrontation. Neighbours alerted authorities after the attack, and forest officials reached the village to secure the site. The carcass of the leopard has been sent for post-mortem examination, while the tools used during the man-animal altercation were seized as part of the probe.

Both injured men were first taken to a government hospital in Una before being shifted to a private medical facility for further treatment. Their condition is reported to be stable.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, as the leopard is classified to be a Schedule-I protected species, officials said. Authorities are set to examine whether the family had options to escape or drive the animal away instead of killing it.

Human-wildlife encounters are not uncommon in the Gir Somnath region, which borders forest areas inhabited by lions and leopards. Officials have said further investigation will determine the exact sequence of events leading to the leopard's death and whether preventive measures in the area need strengthening to avoid similar incidents. This comes barely a week after a similar incident took place in Odisha, where a leopard died, and a 28-year-old man was critically injured in a late-night human-animal encounter in the Narsinghpur area of Cuttack district, triggering panic among residents of nearby villages. 

Also read: Human Wildlife Interaction Gone Wrong: Odisha Youth Kills Leopard In Self-Defence