In a shocking incident, a leopard mauled three people during a picnic in the South Forest Division Range of Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday.
The group of picnickers had reportedly noticed the wild animal in the bushes and, rather than retreat, attempted to film the leopard by luring it closer, leading to a dangerous encounter.
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The incident took place near the Son River in Khitauli.
According to NDTV, the group of picnickers called out to the leopard with shouts of “Aa jaa, aa jaa” (“Come here, come here”), seemingly trying to provoke the animal for entertainment.
What started as a risky attempt to capture footage quickly turned into a nightmare as the situation spiraled out of control.
In the now-viral video, the leopard can be seen emerging from the bushes and charging toward the group.
Panic set in as one of the picnickers, initially confident, can be heard shouting, “Are nahi, mat kar” (“Hey! No. Don’t do this”), just before the leopard launched its attack.
The predator sprinted at full speed, forcing the group to scatter in terror as their attempt to film turned into a fight for survival.
One man who was filming the encounter caught the moment when the leopard chased a man from the group.
The animal pounced on him before the others were able to scare it away. The chilling footage showed the rapid shift from laughter to screams as the group realized the gravity of the situation.
The man was mauled, though others managed to eventually fend off the leopard.
The aftermath of the attack left three people injured.
Among them was Nitin Samdariya, an assistant sub-inspector with Shahdol police, as well as Akash Kushwaha and Nandini Singh, both residents of Shahdol town, located roughly 100 km from Khitauli.
The injuries, while not fatal, have raised concerns over the reckless behavior of those involved.
Social media quickly exploded with criticism of the picnickers’ actions.
“Clear instructions not to tease animals, now enjoy the bite,” wrote one user in response to the video.
Another commented, “Asked for it, didn’t they? Assistant sub for sure asked for it.” Users seemed unified in their outrage, with another person posting, “Humans will never learn.”
Following the attack, forest officials quickly responded.
“Advisory has been issued. We have asked officials to alert villagers and other people not to go into the forests,” said Sub-Divisional Forest Officer Badshah Rawat.
He added, “A control room has also been set up to help people in such incidents,” emphasizing the need for heightened awareness around wildlife areas.
In addition to the injuries sustained, the incident has sparked a larger conversation about the dangers of human interaction with wildlife.
Experts have long warned about the unpredictability of animals in the wild and the consequences of disturbing their natural habitats. This case has reinforced the importance of maintaining a safe distance from wild animals.
The viral video continues circulating online, further fueling public discourse on the risks of social media trends encouraging dangerous behavior around wildlife.
While some may seek thrills or attention, the incident reminds us that provoking wild animals can have severe, sometimes life-threatening consequences.
