Leopard attacks farmer in Nashik's Sinnar; both die after falling into well

Nashik, Jan 4 (PTI) A farmer and a leopard died after the big cat attacked him and then both fell into a well in Nashik's Sinnar taluka on Sunday, a police official said.

The incident took place in Shivde and the deceased has been identified as Gorakh Jadhav, a resident of Savta Mali, he added.

"Jadhav was having lunch after watering his wheat crop in the afternoon when he was attacked by a leopard. In the struggle that ensued as Jadhav tried to save himself, he and the leopard fell into a nearby well. A forest team that arrived at the spot found the villagers in an aggressive mood over Jadhav's death. They then began opposing the big cat's rescue," the official said.

The forest department team as well as police tried to pacify the crowd, which stuck to its stand for more than three hours, by which time the leopard too died from injuries sustained in the fall, he added.

"They did not allow the forest team to drop a cage into the well to save the leopard and bring it up. While Jadhav's body was sent to Sinnar rural hospital for post mortem, the leopard's carcass was taken away by the forest department for disposal as per NTCA guidelines," the official informed. PTI COR BNM