Leopard runs riot in three villages in Himachal's Mandi; kills one, injures 9 before being slain

Shimla (HP) Dec 24 (PTI) Pandemonium ensued after a leopard attacked locals in three villages in Mandi district early on Wednesday morning, leaving one person dead and nine others injured, before it was slain by the villagers, officials said.

Panic gripped residents of Chandyal, Badhyal and Malwana villages in Balh area of the district as the big cat ran amok.

Balbir Singh (40), a resident of Mandi, who had come to visit his relatives in Malwana village, was attacked and killed by the leopard.

"One person was killed, while nine others were left injured in the attack. The leopard was killed by the villagers," Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apporv Devgan told the PTI.

Of those injured, five persons -- Deena Nath, his wife Rekha Devi and their son Jatin, along with Sahib Singh and Champa Devi -- sustained serious injuries and are undergoing treatment at Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College in Mandi.

Frenzied villagers, armed with sticks and sharp-edged weapons surrounded the leopard, which attacked in retaliation when cornered, inflicting minor injuries to some villagers.

Eventually, the animal was killed by the villagers.

Forest department officials later reached the spot and took the body of the leopard into custody.

A postmortem examination of the leopard is being conducted, and other proceedings are underway, officials said, adding that immediate relief has been given to the kin of the deceased and injured. PTI BPL SMV SMV ARB ARB