Leopard kills man in Gujarat's Chhotaudepur district

A 50-year-old farmer was killed by a leopard in Chhotaudepur district of central Gujarat Friday, a forest official said. The incident took place when Balu Rathwa (50) and his wife were plucking cotton in his field in Vavdi village of Pavijetpur tehsil, around 180 km from here. "When Rathwa was plucking cotton, a leopard suddenly attacked him and grabbed Rathwa by his neck. The farmer died on the spot," said Deputy Conservator of Forest Nilesh Pandya.

"His wife sustained minor injuries when she tried to save her husband," he said. The leopard vanished into nearby forests as some villagers rushed to rescue Rathwa. The field is very close to the protected forest under the Pavijetpur Range. Following the incident, forest personnel have set up five cages near the village to catch the leopard, said Pandya. It is estimated that over 80 leopards live in forests of Chhotaudepur.

(With inputs from agencies.)