Darjeeling, July 2: A brutal leopard attack inside a home in Lower Bhutia Basti has left a local woman hospitalized and intensified community demands for urgent wildlife management intervention in Darjeeling. Devika Sherpa, 60, sustained deep wounds across her body after spending nearly an hour fighting a wild leopard that had entered her house to target her five-year-old granddaughter. The elderly resident managed to fend off the animal using a stick, preventing a major tragedy in the Devkota village home.
The encounter highlights a growing regional crisis where expanding human settlements frequently overlap with natural wildlife habitats, resulting in perilous encounters for vulnerable citizens. Speaking from Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, Sherpa issued a stark warning about the current vulnerability of local neighborhoods.
“I survived today. But there are children, elderly people, and women alone at home. Something worse could happen anytime,” Sherpa declared. She asserted that the predator pounced on her the moment she tried to protect the child, leaving her with no choice but to fight for survival. “Had I retreated or moved forward, it would have killed me,” she stated.
The incident has renewed severe criticism against local environmental authorities for their perceived inaction regarding recurring predator sightings. Sherpa maintained that the community has repeatedly lodged complaints about the threat to no avail.
“If a human harms an animal, strict action is taken immediately. But when wild animals attack people, what protection do we get?” she asked.
Local wildlife teams have tracked the animal to a narrow crevice close to the village but have deferred immediate capture to avoid provoking further panic. Forest officials affirmed that the leopard is in a highly volatile state, noting that any hasty intervention could drive the predator back into nearby residential zones. They asserted that specialized handlers are monitoring the site and will safely extract the animal once the situation stabilizes.
