What began as a normal day at a liquor shop in Rajasthan's Tonk district quickly turned into a frightening wildlife encounter after a leopard entered the store, injuring people and creating chaos before it was safely rescued.
The incident took place near SBI Chauraha in Todaraisingh, where the leopard reportedly strayed from nearby forested hills into a populated area. CCTV footage from the shop, which has since gone viral on social media, captured the dramatic moments as the animal rushed inside, sending customers and staff scrambling for safety.
Salesman injured while escaping the leopard
According to reports, the leopard attacked salesman Sanjay Gurjar after entering the wine shop. The big cat knocked over bottles and damaged items inside the store while attacking him. Sanjay sustained injuries to his nose, shoulder and hands.
Despite being hurt, he managed to escape the shop and quickly pulled down the rolling shutter from outside, trapping the leopard inside. His presence of mind prevented the animal from moving further into the crowded market area, giving authorities valuable time to respond.
Three people hurt before leopard was contained
Before entering the liquor shop, the leopard had allegedly attacked forest volunteer Rakesh near a patch of bushes where it was first spotted. It later injured another local resident, Fateh Lal Koli, outside the shop before running inside the outlet.
All three injured individuals received medical attention. Rakesh was treated with first aid and discharged, while Sanjay Gurjar and Fateh Lal Koli were shifted to another hospital for further treatment due to their injuries.
Rescue team captures leopard after five-hour operation
Forest officials and local police immediately secured the area after the leopard was trapped inside the shop. A specialised wildlife rescue team from Jaipur later joined the operation.
After nearly five hours of carefully coordinated efforts, the rescue team safely tranquilised and captured the leopard at around 2 pm without causing harm to the animal or anyone else nearby.
Officials have not reported any further injuries following the successful rescue.
Viral CCTV sparks flood of social media reactions
As the CCTV footage spread across social media platforms, users reacted with a blend of shock, humour and disbelief over the unusual incident.
“Imagine chugging a can of booze, getting high AF spotting a leopard and wondering if you’re tripping or if it’s actually there. Only in India," wrote one user.
Another joked, “The man must have asked the leopard to pay for his drink."
Perhaps the most viral comment came from someone imagining the leopard's point of view: “Yaar wine shop wala meri age puch raha tha isliye bhadak gaya mai, inhone toh video viral kardi."
