Nagpur: A leopard was critically injured after being hit by an unidentified truck in the Mansar-Kandri area of the Ramtek Forest Range at around 6.30 am on Monday. The impact of the collision left the big cat with severe injuries, including fractures to its jaw and legs.
Forest Range Officer Rahul Shinde said the injured leopard was immediately rescued and shifted to the Nagpur Animal Hospital, where it is undergoing treatment. “The animal’s condition is critical and doctors are making every effort to save its life, though it remains in danger,” he said.
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16 dec 2025
Shinde added that the Forest Department has launched a search for the truck involved in the incident. CCTV footage from the area is being examined and statements from local witnesses are being recorded to trace the vehicle and its driver.
The incident highlights the growing threat to wildlife in the Ramtek region, where speeding vehicles frequently pass through forested stretches. Officials said lack of awareness and high-speed traffic on forest roads have led to a rise in such accidents. Wildlife experts noted that in dense forest areas like Mansar-Kandri, leopards often stray onto roads while searching for prey, increasing the risk of fatal collisions with fast-moving vehicles.
The Forest Department has appealed to truck drivers and motorists to exercise caution while passing through forest zones and to keep headlights on, especially during early morning and night hours. The administration has assured strict action in the case, stating that if the truck driver is identified, he will be booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and face stringent punishment.
Local residents have demanded the installation of speed breakers and warning signboards along forest roads to prevent such incidents. The accident has caused concern among environmentalists, who reiterated that wildlife conservation is a shared responsibility and called for greater sensitivity towards animals inhabiting forest corridors.
