Nashik: Six people, including a minor, were injured in a leopard attack while they were travelling on two-wheelers in Brahmanwada area of Niphad taluka on Friday evening.The big cat suddenly pounced on a family of three in which the husband escaped with minor injuries, while his wife and daughter sustained serious injuries on their legs and have been admitted to a health care centre in Niphad.The trio, residents of Karanji village, has been identified as 35-year-old Khandu Borade, his daughter Pradnya (10) and wife Sunita (30). Forest officials are investigating into the matter and are taking measures to trap the big cat.Kailas Tambde, Santosh Gosavi and Mangesh Gosavi were behind the Borade family on a two-wheeler and were also attacked. Kailas sustained minor injuries made by the leopard with its paws while the other two had negligible injuries. The trio is from Khedle Zunge.“Pradnya is injured on her right leg while Sunita sustained injuries on her right hand. Probably they will be discharged on Sunday. Others too were treated on Friday evening and were asked to come back for check up on Saturday,” informed range forest officer of Niphad Sanjay Bhandari.Narrating the ordeal, Borade said, “We were travelling on our two-wheeler when at 6.30pm the leopard attacked my daughter and wife from behind. Nowadays it gets dark by 6.30pm. At night they were in lot of pain but they are feeling better.”’He added that there is jungle nearby and probably the leopard may have strayed from there. “We have never faced any such trouble earlier though leopards are seen in this area quite frequently,” Boarde said.Bhandari said, “We are laying one cage and three camera traps. If necessary one more cage can be installed on Sunday. I have already instructed my staff to do the needful. This area has lot of leopards as the habitat is suitable for them.”He added that this area has lot of leopards due to sugarcane farms which are an apt environment for leopards, but such accident never tool place on this road.“The sugarcane farms are cool, water is easily available and it is a good hiding place for leopards. There are domestic animals of farmers like dogs, calves, hens, goats that the big cat can feed on. All these are easily available in Niphad in plenty. Hence, leopards can be seen here in all the season,” RFO Bhandari said.

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