PERNEM
A two-wheeler rider from Chawde-waddo in Parcem had a lucky escape after he was attacked by a leopard near the Tuem Panchayat on Friday night.
Speaking to The Goan, Dynaneshwar Polji, a security guard at the GMC hospital at Bambolim, said the incident took place at about 8 pm as he was returning home from work.
"As I reached barely 50-60 metres from the Tuem panchayat building, a leopard suddenly pounced on me and bit my leg. I was terrified but somehow, I maintained my balance on my bike and jerked my leg. The leopard let go of me, crossed the road and disappeared from the site,” recalled Polji.
“I rode straight to the hospital in Tuem and informed doctors about the incident. I also alerted my family and reported the matter to the forest department officers."
Forest department officials visited Polji and took note of his brush with the leopard.
Expressing concern over growing attacks by leopards, former Parcem sarpanch Chandrashekhar Polji said that they were earlier attacking domestic animals and have now begun targeting humans as well.
Former Tuem sarpanch Suhas Naik said locals have spotted a leopard wandering around in the vicinity of the Tuem IT park.
“It now appears that the leopard is moving in inhabited areas and this is a serious problem. We request the forest department to take action as soon as possible."
Forest officials conducted a panchanama at the site and promised to set a trap to capture the leopard.
