CHANDIGARH: A youth killed a leopard with his bare hands in Sarli village of Solan district in Himachal Pradesh, highlighting the rising human–wildlife conflict in the hill state and triggering panic among residents.
Pravesh Sharma, a student of Industrial Training Institute (ITI) Arki and son of Balak Ram, was walking through his fields to get milk around 7 am yesterday when a one-year-old leopard suddenly attacked him. However, Pravesh kept his presence of mind and struggled with the animal for nearly 10–12 minutes.
In the end, he grabbed the jaws of the animal, overpowered it and smashed its neck and head, killing the leopard. The youth sustained multiple scratches during the struggle but did not suffer any serious injuries.
Forest Divisional Officer Rajkumar Sharma visited the spot and provided relief of Rs 5,000 to the injured youth. Forest officials also inspected the area following the incident.
Locals said the leopard had also attempted to attack a two-wheeler rider around the same time, forcing the rider to abandon his scooter and flee.
Residents said they had noticed the movement of a leopard in the area since March 6 and had informed the Forest Department, requesting that a cage be installed to capture the animal, but no action was taken.
As news of the incident spread rapidly, residents praised the youth for his courage. Teachers and students of ITI Arki also contacted him to enquire about his well-being.
Forest officials said the destruction of natural habitats is forcing wild animals to move closer to human settlements. The department regularly conducts awareness campaigns to guide villagers on how to deal with wild animals.
“It is mostly during late evenings or night that leopards attack human beings and domestic animals, but this incident took place in the early morning, which reflects the desperation of the animal,” the official said.
Human–wildlife conflict has been increasing in Himachal Pradesh in recent years. In December last year, one person was killed and five others were injured after a leopard carried out a series of attacks at three different locations in the Balh Ghati area of Mandi district before being shot dead by locals. The attacks took place in Chandiyal, Bhadyal and Malwana villages.
According to the 2024 wildlife census titled Population Estimation and Assessment of Human-Wildlife Conflict released by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), leopards and black bears are increasingly coming into conflict with humans in districts such as Kullu, Chamba, Mandi, Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti, and parts of Sirmaur.
The census recorded around 529 black bears and 510 leopards across the state, with 307 bears and 333 leopards individually identified.
The study found that leopards are responsible for conflicts in 30.85 per cent of affected areas, while black bears account for 18.65 per cent. Most attacks target livestock, with sheep and goats accounting for 83.79 per cent, followed by cattle at 13.20 per cent and horses at 4.75 per cent. Leopards also occasionally prey on dogs, with 3.40 per cent of such incidents reported.
The report noted that the expansion of human settlements near forests, encroachment, and increasing dependence on forest resources are key factors behind the rising incidents of human–wildlife conflict.