Injured leopard attacks forest official during rescue operation in Karnataka’s Davangere

Injured leopard attacks a forest official during rescue

A leopard injured after being struck by a car on a highway in Karnataka’s Davangere turned on forest officials during a rescue operation, leaving one official knocked to the ground.The incident occurred as a forest department team attempted to safely capture the animal and take it for medical treatment. A video of the dramatic encounter has surfaced, showing the leopard suddenly attacking an official while other members of the team tried to control the situation.Leopard found injured after highway accidentThe rescue operation began after the injured leopard was spotted on the highway following a collision with a car. The animal had sustained injuries in the accident and was unable to move normally.Forest department personnel reached the location after receiving information about the leopard. Their objective was to restrain the animal without causing further harm and transport it to a veterinary facility.Leopard attacks forest official during rescue operation in KarnatakaA leopard injured after being hit by a car on a highway in Davangere attacked a Forest Department official during a rescue operation.Officials tranquillised the animal, but before it was fully sedated, the… pic.twitter.com/Mll5YJROpX— Imran Khan (@KeypadGuerilla) September 8, 2026 Officials subsequently tranquillised the leopard as part of the capture procedure. However, the sedative had not yet reached its full effect when the animal unexpectedly became aggressive.Leopard pounces on forest officialDuring the operation, the leopard suddenly lunged at one of the officials and brought him down. Footage of the incident shows the animal moving rapidly towards the official before knocking him to the ground.The official's colleagues immediately stepped in to prevent the attack from escalating. They used a stick to tap and distract the leopard, giving their colleague an opportunity to move away from the animal and regain his footing.The leopard eventually backed off and moved towards a grassy area beside the highway.LEOPARD ATTACKS FOREST OFFICIAL DURING RESCUE OPERATION IN KARNATAKA A leopard that was hit by a car on a highway in Davangere attacked a Forest Department official during a rescue operation.Forest officials had reached the spot and tranquillised the animal. However, before… pic.twitter.com/fqqfC3uPVm— Nagarjun Dwarakanath (@nagarjund) September 8, 2026 Animal taken to hospital for treatmentDespite the frightening interruption, forest officials continued with the rescue operation. The leopard was eventually secured and transported to a hospital for treatment.The animal is being treated for injuries sustained in the road accident. The incident also highlights the risks faced by wildlife personnel while attempting to rescue injured wild animals, particularly when tranquillisation has not yet taken full effect.

Leopard pounces on forest official during rescue after highway accident in Karnataka