A violent mob in India’s Tantuara village attacked and killed a leopard that had strayed from a forest, mutilated the carcass and hung it from a tree – all in the presence of police and forest personnel. Did none think of simply driving away the animal?

As reported by The Times of India’s Falguni Banerjee:

“Villagers in Purulia battered and hacked a leopard to death in front of police after it strayed from a nearby hillock on Saturday afternoon. They also mutilated the carcass, gouging out its eyes and chopping off its paws and tail, before stringing it on a tree like a macabre trophy.

“The leopard had fought the entire village for over half an hour before it succumbled to relentless blows. The butchery played out over 90 minutes but neither foresters nor enough police reinforcements could arrive in time to prevent a needless killing. The leopard injured seven people, including an ASI, but it charged at them only after the cop was forced to point a gun at it, say witnesses.

“The village, Tantuara, is on the fringes of Jhimla forest, about 30km from Purulia town. Around noon, villager Janmadas Kumar saw the leopard prowling in front of his house. Terrified, he ran out of the backdoor and screamed to alert his neoghbours. Dozens of people rushed to the area with axes, sickles and rods.”