A stray leopard injured three people and caused chaos after entering a liquor store in Rajasthan, on July 20, where a quick-thinking shop clerk managed to trap the animal inside until wildlife officials arrived.
Rajasthan is an Indian state located roughly an eight-hour drive from the national capital, New Delhi.
The leopard was initially seen hiding in bushes near a market in Toda Raisingh, Tonk district, according to reports from Indian media outlets.
Authorities had received reports of leopard activity in nearby forested areas in the days leading up to the incident, while sightings were also reported near temples on the outskirts of the town, India Today reported.
The animal attacked a forest volunteer who approached the area to assess the situation before fleeing about half a kilometre away and entering a nearby liquor store.
Inside the shop, the leopard attacked a contract worker who was seated near the counter before charging at a salesman, leaving him with injuries to his face, chest and shoulders.
The injured salesman managed to escape, and both workers rushed outside before pulling down the store’s shutters, effectively trapping the leopard inside among the bottles and preventing it from reaching the street, the Times of India reported.
Wildlife officials travelled from Jaipur and used a tranquilliser to subdue the leopard at around 2pm, bringing an end to more than five hours of fear and confusion in the area.
The forest volunteer received medical treatment and was later discharged, while the two liquor store employees were taken to Jaipur for additional care.
The Times of India reported that the leopard was safely rescued and would be released into an appropriate habitat.
The incident attracted reactions online, with some viewers finding humour in the unusual situation.
“Obviously, he wanted a bottle,” one commenter wrote.
However, many others expressed relief that neither the shop workers nor the leopard suffered serious harm.
“This is happening because leopards are losing their habitat,” another person said. “As forests are cleared, they have less space to find shelter and prey, forcing them into increasingly frequent encounters with people.”
