Farmer kills leopard in fight for survival, booked under Wildlife Act

A tense fight for survival unfolded on the outskirts of a village in Gir Somnath district of Gujarat late on Wednesday (January 28, 2026) evening, when a 60-year-old farmer fought off a leopard with a sickle and a spear after the predator allegedly pounced on him and his son, forest officials said on Thursday (January 29, 2026).

The farmer, Babu Naranbhai Vaja, and his 27-year-old son, Shardul, sustained severe injuries in the attack before killing the leopard near their home on a wheat farm in Gangda village. They remain under treatment at a private hospital in Una.

The farmer, Babu Naranbhai Vaja, and his 27-year-old son, Shardul, were attacked in their home on a wheat farm in Gangda village. Both sustained severe injuries in the attack before killing the leopard. They were rushed to the Una Government Hospital and later shifted to a private hospital in Una, where they remain under treatment.

The Jasadhar Range Forest Officer, L.B. Bharwad, told The Hindu that a case had been registered against Mr. Vaja under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for killing the protected animal. He added that the carcass had been sent for post-mortem examination, and the report was expected on Friday (January 30, 2026).

Mr. Bharwad said the incident took place while Mr. Vaja was sleeping on the verandah of his home, around 80 km from the district headquarters Veraval. The leopard is believed to have crept out of the nearby fields and pounced on him, he said. Officials were informed about the incident around 11 p.m.

“We are investigating whether the leopard attacked the farmer and his son, or whether the animal was merely passing through their field and they, out of fear, hurled sticks at it, prompting the leopard to attack them in self-defence,” he said.

“Either way, a protected wild animal has been killed. Only a detailed probe will establish what exactly happened,” the officer added.

According to Mr. Vaja, the leopard seized his arm and began dragging him away. Hearing his cries, his son rushed out of the house, but the animal turned on him as well, attacking and injuring him in the process.

“When I tried to save my son, the leopard attacked me again. In those few minutes, it attacked us several times,” the farmer said. He suffered severe injuries and required over 50 sutures on different parts of his body.

Mr. Vaja said he managed to grab a sickle and a spear that were kept on the verandah and struck the leopard in an attempt to save their lives, ultimately killing it in the process. “It went on for a while, and after the leopard died, we informed the forest officials,” he said.

Officials later recovered the weapons and the carcass for post-mortem examination. The 2023 wildlife census recorded 2,274 leopards across the region, marking a notable rise in their population.