BALASORE: A 26-year-old farmer was critically injured in a suspected leopard attack in the Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary in Balasore district on Friday afternoon.
The injured was identified as Sunil Kumar Singh of Natapada village under Berhampur police limits in Nilagiri.
The attack took place when Sunil followed his two bullocks who had strayed into the adjoining Kuldiha forest. It was then that a leopard suddenly attacked him. In a desperate bid to save himself, Sunil fought the animal for nearly half an hour before raising an alarm.
Hearing his cries, farmers working in nearby fields rushed to the spot. They found Sunil struggling with the leopard and raised a loud commotion, forcing the animal to retreat.
The villagers then rescued the injured farmer and shifted him to the Nilagiri sub-divisional hospital.
However, locals alleged that Sunil received only first aid at the hospital and was left lying on the veranda without proper medical attention. This led to protests by residents who demanded that he be referred to a higher healthcare facility.
Following the intervention, Sunil was shifted to FM Medical College and Hospital in Balasore, where doctors admitted him and began treatment.
After being informed of the incident, a team of Forest department officials visited the hospital and recorded Sunil’s statement.
Balasore divisional forest officer Indalkar Pratik Prakash said preliminary reports from the field staff and photographs captured by local farmers on their mobile phones indicated a leopard attacked the victim.