Nanjangud: A man sustained serious injuries when a leopard attacked him at Yalahalli village of Hullahalli hobli in the taluk yesterday afternoon.

The injured man is 39-year-old Jayakumar of Yalahalli village.

The leopard, which appeared in the village at about 2 pm yesterday, pounced on Jayakumar injuring him seriously.

Shocked villagers, who saw the leopard attacking Jayakumar, pelted stones at the leopard and rushed towards it holding sticks thus chasing it away. But the scared leopard ran into a house in ruins and took shelter there following which the villagers informed the Forest Department officials.

Soon, Forest staff, led by Range Forest Officer (RFO) Nithin Kumar  and Santosh Hugar of Leopard Task Force, arrived at the scene and found the leopard inside the house following which Veterinarian Dr. Roshan fired a tranquilliser dart at the leopard rendering in unconscious. The Forest staff then secured the leopard using nets.

RFO Nithin Kumar said that captured leopard was about seven years old and has been shifted to Mysuru Zoo’s Chamundi Wild Animals Rescue, Rehabilitation and Conservation Breeding Centre at Koorgalli in Mysuru.