Leopard kills security guard in Bhandup

A 55-year-old private security guard posted at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's water filtration plant in Bhandup was attacked by a leopard early on Thursday and killed. This is the second death due to a leopard attack in Bhandup in less than a month and the fifth since July.

According to Thane forest officials, the victim, Anthony Fernandez, was attacked about 500 meters from the main gate of the plant around 4 am. "Judging by the trail of blood and the marks on his neck, the leopard must have grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and dragged him around 600 meters into the forest. His left leg had been eaten up," said Sudhir Padwale, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Thane.

Forest officials said Fernandez was a security guard employed with Diamond Security, a private firm. His body was found by a co-worker. "When his co-worker saw the trail of blood, he followed it and found Fernandez's body in the forest around 8 am. He then alerted us," said Padwale.

Officials from the Mulund police station said Fernandez, who hailed from Kerala, had been working at the plant for the last six months. They said he may have consumed alcohol. "Prima facie, we have information that the man may have consumed alcohol but blood reports will confirm this," said an official. A case of accidental death has been filed at the Mulund police station.

Past Cases

Between December 2006 and June 2012, there were no official reports of death due to leopard attacks in Mumbai

July 16 Six-year-old Sanjana Thorat of Shankar Tekdi in Mulund West was killed when she went to the forest to relieve herself

November 2 A 50-year-old woman was killed by a leoapard in Maroshiapada, Aarey Colony

November 5 A 50-year-old man was mauled by a leopard near Khindipada in Mulund West

... contd.

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