Man injured in suspected leopard attack in Mullanpur, wildlife teams find no evidence

Mohali: A man was injured in a suspected leopard attack near Parch village in Mullanpur late Tuesday night, though forest and wildlife teams found no signs to confirm the presence of a big cat.

The victim, Ashok Kumar, a resident of Parch village, said he was returning home on his motorcycle around 11.30pm when an animal resembling a leopard allegedly attacked him. He claimed the animal dragged him into a nearby field, leaving him with injuries to his hands and arms.

“An SUV happened to pass by at that moment, and the animal fled. The occupants rescued me and informed my family,” Ashok said, adding that he later received treatment, including anti-animal bite injections. According to him, doctors indicated that the injuries were consistent with an attack by a wild animal.

Police and wildlife officials reached the spot, and a search of the fields and surrounding area was carried out. However, teams found no pug marks or other evidence to establish the presence of a leopard.

Officials said the matter is under investigation to ascertain the identity of the animal. Despite fencing, wild animals are known to occasionally stray from nearby forested areas.

The incident gains significance in light of a recent biodiversity survey by the forest and wildlife department and the Wildlife Institute of India, which recorded two adult male leopards in camera traps inside the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary’s forest area extends towards Mullanpur and adjoining villages, including Parch, Siswan and Jayanti Majri, where residents have earlier reported sightings of wild animals.