Midnight Encounter Turns Into Nightmare
A quiet night turned terrifying for a family in Jhitki village of Chhattisgarh’s Mahasamund district when a leopard entered their home and attacked six people, leaving three of them seriously injured.
The incident occurred at around 1.30 a.m. in the Bagbahara forest range. According to reports, Uttari Bai stepped outside to use the bathroom when she suddenly encountered the leopard. Her cries alerted other members of the family, who rushed to help her.
Leopard Rushes Into the House
Amid the confusion, the leopard entered the house and attacked family members one after another. Four men and two women were injured in the encounter.
The injured were identified as Sarju Yadav, Uttari Bai, Janakram Yadav, Manish Yadav, Tushar Yadav and Sunita Yadav. Three of them suffered serious injuries and were subsequently referred to Raipur for further treatment.
Despite the panic, the family members reportedly managed to escape from the animal and showed remarkable presence of mind by shutting the leopard inside one of the rooms, preventing it from moving further through the house.
Forest Department Launches Rescue Operation
Forest Department and police personnel rushed to Jhitki after receiving information about the attack.
A specialist team was called from Raipur to handle the situation and carry out an operation to safely capture the leopard.
The incident triggered considerable fear among residents of Jhitki and surrounding villages, particularly because it was reportedly the second leopard attack in the area within two days.
Another Leopard Attack Just a Day Earlier
Only a day before the Jhitki incident, a man was reportedly attacked by a leopard in the nearby Pandripani-Karipat forest area.
The back-to-back encounters have heightened concerns among communities living close to the forest.
It was not immediately clear whether the same leopard was responsible for both attacks.
Villages on Alert
The incidents have put residents of forest-fringe villages on alert as authorities work to monitor leopard movements in the area.
People living close to forests face a particular risk when large carnivores begin moving through agricultural fields and settlements, especially during the night.
Residents have therefore been urged to remain cautious and immediately inform Forest Department personnel if a leopard or other large wild animal is spotted near habitation.
Human-Wildlife Conflict Remains a Challenge
The Jhitki incident demonstrates how quickly an encounter between people and a large carnivore can escalate when wildlife enters a densely inhabited area.
For the Forest Department, the immediate priorities are to prevent further attacks, safeguard villagers and capture or safely manage the animal involved without causing unnecessary harm to it.
The two attacks within such a short period also underline the importance of monitoring wildlife movement around vulnerable forest-fringe settlements and maintaining rapid-response teams in areas where human-leopard encounters are increasing.
Source: The Times of India and regional reports.
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