Leopard attack in Chhattisgarh village leaves man critically injured

RAIPUR: A routine visit to the forest turned into a terrifying ordeal for a villager in Chhattisgarh's Dongargarh region in Rajnandgaon district on Tuesday morning, after a leopard suddenly attacked him while he was collecting neem leaves. The incident, reported from Lohjhri village in Mohara outpost, has triggered fresh fear in a region already grappling with repeated leopard sightings. The victim, Kejau Ram Kanwar, sustained a deep head injury after the leopard struck him with its claws. Family members and villagers rushed him to the community health centre in Dongargarh. Given the severity of the head wound, doctors referred him to the Rajnandgaon Medical College, where he is undergoing treatment.This is not an isolated incident. For months, residents across the Dongargarh forest belt have reported frequent leopard sightings. Just a few months ago, a leopard carcass was found in suspicious circumstances in the same range. Yet, villagers say the sightings and now attacks have only increased.Residents of Lohjhri, Mohara and adjoining hamlets claim that soon after dusk, leopard presence can be clearly sensed in the fringe forests. While livestock killings were common earlier, an attack on a human has heightened alarm.Following the attack, teams from the forest department and local police reached the village. Officials said monitoring in the area will be increased. Plans include installing trap cameras, deploying patrol units and conducting awareness drives urging villagers to remain alert.Local residents have demanded strict temporary restrictions on forest entry until leopard movement is fully controlled. They also want mandatory night patrolling and immediate deployment of response teams.