Rohtas: A leopard caused widespread panic in Kochas, Rohtas district on Wednesday, attacking farmers and local residents before being captured after several hours of intensive effort by rescue teams.
The animal first appeared near the Kochas Nagar Panchayat power station, where it targeted farmers harvesting paddy in nearby fields. The attacks left 14 people injured, including members of the rescue team, some of whom are reported to be in critical condition at Sasaram Sadar Hospital.
Locals recounted that the leopard approached from the embankments of the Dharmavati River, attacking Pradeep Kumar, son of Baleshwar Paswan. Others nearby, including Manish Ojha and Rampravesh Singh, were also injured as they tried to raise an alarm. The leopard then entered the main gate of the power station before fleeing eastward across National Highway 319 along the Kochas Nara embankments, spreading fear throughout both urban and rural areas.
Forest department teams quickly arrived at the scene and attempted to trap the animal, which was briefly hiding in a semi-constructed house. Despite the efforts, the leopard managed to evade capture for several hours, moving rapidly through surrounding areas. The animal was eventually rescued around 7 pm, bringing relief to both the rescue teams and local residents.
Three members of the rescue team—Santosh Sah of Sasaram, Rajiv Kumar of Begusarai, and Vivek Kumar of Bikramganj—were among the seriously injured. Other victims include Pradeep Kumar, Manish Kumar Ojha, Rampravesh Singh, and nine more locals.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant in the area as investigations continue into how the leopard entered human-inhabited zones.
