Agitated big cat attacks six villagers in Vadgaon Maval

Investigation is on to identify the people involved in the cruelty against the wild animal, said official

- Gayatri Vajpeyee

PUNE: The forest department has filed a case after at least six persons were left injured while attempting to capture a sub-adult leopardess in an unsafe manner in Vadgaon Maval tehsil of Pune district on Friday morning, a forest official said.

The animal had climbed a tree at a camping site near Pavana Lake in Wadgaon Maval at around 8am, and instead of waiting for the big cat to leave the human settlement area, locals attempted to capture it, creating chaos, the official said.

According to officials, when villagers saw the leopard on a branch, they gathered around the tree and started making noises. Frightened and agitated by the commotion from villagers and stray dogs, the leopardess climbed down the tree and when people tried to capture the animal it attacked them.