Psychologist kills leopard, saves pet dog's life in Maharashtra

KOLHAPUR: A 55-year-old psychologist fought off a leopard for 15 minutes and killed it to save his pet dog at home in Chiplun area of Maharashtra's Ratnagiri.

Ashish Mahajan suffered grievous injuries during the confrontation in the wee hours of Sunday in Tondali-Vareli village and is now recuperating in hospital. His family described his condition as stable.

Early that morning, Mahajan heard his dog's barks and stepped out of the house to check, torch in hand. He soon spotted the leopard about to pounce on the dog. He tried to shoo the big cat away but it charged at him instead.

"Hearing his screams, Mahajan's wife Supriya ran out and managed to throw a pointed spear to him. Mahajan clasped it and hit the leopard in the neck and chest," Tushar Wagh, a friend of Mahajan, said.

Cornered in the tight space, the leopard was unable to flee and pounced on Mahajan multiple times before slumping because of its injuries. "When we went to the spot and examined the dead animal, we found it was a female aged approximately two years. The leopard had wounds on its chest, legs, and neck," Ratnagiri divisional forest officer Girija Desai-Patil said.

According to the official, Mahajan will be compensated for hospital expenses. "People in the area have been requested to stay alert when venturing out," Desai-Patil said.

Mahajan used to work in Pune earlier but shifted to the scenic Chiplun village two years ago to ensure he and his family had a more sustainable lifestyle.