Leopard mauls 11 in fierce fight at Indian village

KOLKATA, India (AP) _ A snarling leopard mauled 11 people in an Indian village and terrorized wildlife officials trying to drive it away before it was tranquilized and died of injuries from the fierce showdown.

Forestry officials were forced to flee, dive for cover and even climb up on a jeep to escape the adult, male leopard‘s attacks in West Bengal state.

At one point, the big cat leapt through the air, fangs bared, and tackled a man, clutching him in its giant paws as it knocked him off the wall he was standing on.

The wildlife officials -- wearing protective helmets and carrying batons and tranquilizer guns -- had hoped to drive the cat into a nearby wildlife sanctuary after it wandered into the village near Siliguri, about 373 miles (600 kilometers) from Kolkata.

But the leopard stood its ground, crouching on a wall, hissing and attacking those who came near.

In this July 19, 2011 photo, a leopard attacks a forest guard at Prakash Nagar village near Salugara, on the outskirts of Siliguri, India. (AP)

It injured six villagers, a policeman and four forest guards before being hit with a tranquilizer gun Tuesday. The people are recovering from their injuries, mostly swipes from the cat’s claws.

Forest official Dharma Dev Rai says villagers used knives, stones and batons to beat back the cat.

The cat died within hours after the showdown, and a post mortem is being conducted.

Leopards are protected in India, though more are straying into villages for food.

'표범과 인간의 사투' 생생한 영상

인도 한 마을에서 갈 곳 잃은 표범이 마을주민, 공무원등 11명에게 달려들어 부상을 입히는등 난동을 피웠다고 지난 19일 AP 등 외신들이 전했다.

지난 19일 인도 웨스트 벵갈주 야생동물 보호구역에 살던 표범이 실리구리 지구 프라카쉬 나가르 마을에 들어가 마을 주민 6명, 경찰 1명, 산림경비원 4명 등 모두 11명에게 부상을 입혔다.

이 수컷 표범이 산림경비원의 등 뒤에서 난폭하게 달려드는 생생한 사진이 등이 AP 등 외신들에 공개됐다.

소동 끝에 표범은 진정제를 맞고 포획되었으며 칼에 맞은 부상으로 결국 수시간 후 죽었다고.

산림 관리원 다르마 데브 라이가 포획과정에서 마을 사람들이 칼, 돌, 막대기로 표범을 공격했다고 말했다.