Sixty-year-old man kills leopard to save son, forest department files case against farmer and son

GIR SOMNATH: 60-year-old man turns into a savage fighter to save his son from a leopard attack. The incident took place in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district on Wednesday evening. Although he killed the leopard to save his son, the forest department has registered a case against the father and his son in the incident.

Babubhai Naranbhai Vaja, 60, was resting in a shed outside his house when a leopard suddenly attacked him. Hearing Babubhai's screams, his son Shardul (27) came running from inside the room. The leopard stopped attacking Babubhai and jumped on his son. Seeing the leopard biting his son, Babubhai immediately grabbed a sickle from the house and fought the leopard. The leopard died after a minutes-long attack.

Babubhai and Shardul were seriously injured in the leopard attack. Both were shifted to a nearby government hospital and later to a private hospital for specialist treatment. Forest department officials who reached the spot seized the weapons used to kill the leopard. Despite the incident being a clear act of self-defense, the forest department registered a case against Vaja under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Range Forest Officer L.B. Bharwad stated, "Either way, a protected wild animal has been killed. Only a detailed probe will establish what exactly happened".