EDAKKARA: A bike passenger was injured after his bike was hit by a leopard that jumped in front of the vehicle on the Nellikuthu-Randaampadam road in Vazhikkadavu. Randampaadam native Azark (33) was the one who got injured.

The incident took place at around 11 pm on Friday. Azark, the owner of a barber shop, was going home when the leopard jumped in front of him. The bike overturned after hitting the leopard. The leopard soon fled into the darkness. Azark, who got frightened, quickly ran into a nearby house. He suffered an injury on his thigh. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Palad by the locals and forest department officials. Azark said he clearly saw the leopard. Although an inspection was conducted at the spot under the leadership of the forest department deputy ranger, no footprints of the leopard were found. Locals claimed that leopards had previously been seen in the Nellikuthu forest area.