Leopard Attacks 4 Villagers in Gujarat village

Navsari, Gujarat – Panic swept through Kapadvanj village in Vansda taluka of Navsari district on Friday afternoon when a ferocious leopard attacked four villagers and later took refuge inside a house. The sudden and violent intrusion left the rural community in fear as rescue operations stretched for over five hours.

The incident occurred around 1:30 PM, when the leopard, believed to have ventured in from the nearby forest in search of prey, mauled Kalu Bhai Manda Bhoya (40), Pratap Shankar Dhoom (35), Prateek Subhash Mahala (25), and Girish Mahakal (35). All the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

After the attack, the leopard entered the home of Girish Mahakal, where it continued to pose a serious threat to the villagers. The forest department was immediately alerted, and a team rushed to the spot, swiftly sealing off the house from all sides to prevent further attacks.

“The leopard likely entered the village in search of cattle. Our team managed to safely tranquilise the animal using a dart gun and rescued it within 20 minutes of entering the house,” said Forest Officer J.D. Rathod.

Despite tranquilising the animal early, the overall rescue operation lasted five hours, as the team cautiously ensured the safety of both the villagers and the leopard. The predator was later safely transported out of the village and released in a secure forest zone.

This is not the first such incident in Vansda, a region increasingly witnessing frequent human-wildlife conflicts. In recent months, at least three separate leopard attacks have been reported in the taluka — involving a girl, a child, and an elderly person.

“People in rural areas are scared. These repeated intrusions are alarming, and stronger wildlife monitoring is now essential,” said a local resident.

The forest department has assured that patrol and monitoring efforts around Vansda will be intensified to prevent further encounters. However, the rising incidents have once again highlighted the growing friction between expanding human settlements and shrinking wildlife habitats in Gujarat.