A tea worker was attacked by a leopard on a plantation in the Khasbusty area of Jalpaiguri’s Nagrakata block on Tuesday.

A source reported that around 10.30am, Chaiti Oraon was plucking tea leaves when a leopard pounced on her and bit her ear.

The other workers rushed to her rescue after hearing her cries, prompting the leopard
to flee.

Chaiti was rushed to the rural hospital in Sulkapara. She was later shifted to the superspecialty hospital in Malbazar for further treatment.

Carcass found

Foresters of the Khunia forest range recovered a leopard carcass from the Nagaisuree tea estate in Matiali block of Jalpaiguri on Tuesday.

Residents said they heard growling late on Monday night. On Tuesday morning, some workers spotted the carcass in a drain on the tea plantations.

Sajal Kumar Dey, the range officer, said that the animal is suspected to have been killed in a fight with another leopard. “The carcass was sent to the nature interpretation centre in Lataguri. We are waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain the exact cause of its death,” he said.