A construction worker in Guwahati survived a near-fatal attack by a leopard on Wednesday morning.

Engaged by the water resources department at the under-construction Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge over the Brahmaputra river, 20-year-old Uday Ghosh had gone to “start a machine” when the leopard pounced on him near the sixth pillar of the bridge at around 7am.

According to a co-worker, it was a close shave for Uday, who managed to keep the leopard away from landing him a fatal blow.

He said: “From a distance, it looked like he was fighting with a big dog but soon we realised that it was a leopard. He somehow survived by jumping onto a boat parked nearby. The leopard also moved away following the hue and cry from a starled Uday and his other co-workers.”

Uday was rushed to the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. His condition is stated to be stable but he has suffered injuries to his face, head and right palm.

Forest department personnel, including a team from the Guwahati zoo, are camping at the site of the attack to capture the leopard who is said to have been “trapped inside one of the boats” near the construction site.

“We cannot tranquilise him because he is surrounded by water. If he jumps into the river, he will die in no time. We do not know the leopard’s gender or age since our personnel have not sighted it yet but it is a full-grown adult,” a forest personnel had
told reporters.

A forest official said that efforts are being made to attach another boat and “create a path that can lead him to the nearby Kamakhya hills”.

Reports about leopard sighting started around 4am on north bank but it was eventually sighted in the south bank of the Brahmaputra river.

Leopard sighting is common in Guwahati with forest departments earmarking two hills near the Guwahati Medical College and Hospital and Fatasil Ambari as “leopard bearing area”.

Man-leopard conflicts in Guwahati have been risingsince 2010.

Guwahati, surrounded by 18 hills, has eight reserve forests, two wildlife sanctuaries, and an internationally-acclaimed wetland, the Deepor Beel, making the city a popular destination for tourists and nature lovers.