Speeding vehicle hits 2 leopards, one hurt & other untraceable

Kolkata: Two leopards were hit by a speeding vehicle in Banarhat area on National Highway 31C in Jalpaiguri district on Friday night. The accident took place near Gendrapara tea garden.

The forest department has rescued one of the adult male leopards and brought it to Lataguri for treatment. His condition is stable. However, the other injured leopard remained untraced. "It appears that the other big cat has not suffered much injury and has been able to escape into the forest through the tea bushes. However, we are conducting a search operation and also using drones to locate the other leopard," a senior official of the state Forest department said. The car involved in the accident was badly damaged. It has been brought to Binnaguri Range office. Five persons, including the driver and his associates, also sustained injuries. They were initially admitted to Birpara Hospital. But, three of them have been referred to Jalpaiguri Super Speciality Hospital. A general diary has been lodged. Prima facie probe revealed that the accident occurred due to drunken driving.

In another incident, a youth lost his life to a bison attack in Alipurduar district. 21-year-old Pankaj Roy was traveling to Jayanti from Kholta in Cooch Behar along with his friend in two bikes on Friday. When they were crossing the area before Jayanti in Rajabhatkhawa, a bison attacked them. Roy was declared brought dead.