A leopard pounced on a tea garden worker on duty from behind in Nagrakata on Wednesday morning, but he fought back the animal that inflicted several injuries on the labourer’s body.

Fagu Munda was working in the Bamandanga-Tondu tea plantation when the leopard attacked him around 8am.

“The animal lunged at him from behind, mauled his back and head and tried to bite him. But he put up resistance and pounded the leopard’s face,” said Bimal, brother of the injured 36-year-old worker.

“The animal tried to wrestle my brother to the ground but he went on beating the animal. Eventually, it ran away,” said Bimal.

Seeing Fagu fighting with the animal, other workers who were nearby rushed. They took him to the block health centre in Sulkapara. Later, Fagu was referred to the super-speciality hospital in Jalpaiguri where he is still under treatment.

Doctors said Fagu had suffered injuries to the head, chest, back, shoulder and abdomen.

Local people said the forest department should take steps to catch the animal. “We are monitoring the leopard’s movement. If required, a trap will be set up in the garden,” said a forest officer.

Tusker dies

A wild tusker has died apparently because of electrocution at Shiltong in the South Rydak range of the Buxa Tiger Reserve. The adult animal’s carcass was found on Tuesday afternoon.

Carcass found

The carcass of a leopard was found on Nagaisuree tea estate in Matiali block of Jalpaiguri district on Wednesday.

Workers spotted the carcass around 11am and informed foresters in Khunia range office about the matter. The foresters went to the garden and seized the carcass.

Swajal Kumar Dey, the range officer, said the post-mortem report was being awaited to know the cause of the leopard’s death.