Madhya Pradesh: Leopard dies after being hit with stones by villagers

Damoh (Madhya Pradesh) [India], December 4 : A leopard who had entered a village in Madhya Pradesh, died on Sunday, while it was taken to hospital in injured condition, forest officials said.
District Forest Officer (DFO) MS Uikey told ANI that a leopard was observed in the village on Saturday.
Initially, the villagers also shot videos of the leopard. But when the leopard attacked a person, forest officers were contacted.
The forest team reached the village and started the search operation. Some of the people also attacked the leopard by throwing stones from the roof of their houses, the video evidence of which has also been found.
In the meantime, a rumour spread that the leopard has escaped back to the forest. But, in the evening the leopard again attacked a forest officer. In order to save himself, the forest officer attacked the leopard.
As per the DFO, it further worsened the condition of the leopard who had already sustained injuries after getting attacked by people.
The forest officer was also left critically injured, after which he was admitted to the Jila Hospital.
Meanwhile, the injured leopard was being taken to Jabalpur for treatment, but the animal died on the way, the DFO said.
A team of forest officers including the District Forest Officer (DFO) have proceeded to Jabalpur. More details are expected after the post-mortem.