Leopard attacks forest officer moments after being tranquillised in Karnataka

A leopard was badly injured after being hit by a vehicle on a highway in Davanagere, Karnataka. A rescue team reached the spot to save it.

The team administered an injection to sedate the leopard so that it could be caught safely. After a while, the rescue team felt the leopard had calmed down and could now be safely captured. But before the sedative could spread through its body, the leopard suddenly lunged at a forest officer, knocking him to the ground with its paws.

The sudden attack left the forest officials present stunned, but they quickly composed themselves and began trying to bring the leopard under control. People standing nearby also rushed to help. The leopard tried to escape into the grass during this, but the forest officials showed presence of mind and safely brought it under control. It was then taken to a nearby animal hospital for treatment.

A video of the incident was shared on social media from an X account named @Deadlykalesh. The video clearly shows how the leopard, injured in the highway collision, attacked the forest officer soon after the rescue team administered the injection.

After the video went viral, several users reacted to it. One user wrote that it was truly shocking that the rescue team trying to save the leopard was itself attacked. Another user joked that the leopard told the rescue team, today is not a rescue, it is your test. Another user wrote that the rescue team was saying they had come to save it, and the leopard's reply was, not me, save yourselves first.

The entire incident took place on a highway in Davanagere, Karnataka, where the leopard was injured after being hit by a vehicle.