Shocking Video Shows Leopard Who Injured 15 People Attack Car Window

Shocking video posted to social media shows a leopard attacking a car window after sending at least 15 people to a hospital on Monday.

The attacks came after a leopard wandered onto the Rain Forest Research Institute campus Monday morning in Assam, India's Jorhat district—located in the far eastern region of the country—according to a report from The Times of India.

Local authorities believe the big cat may have been searching for food after leaving a nearby wildlife sanctuary. The leopard attacked at least 15 people, including children and at least two forest workers, according to the Times. The victims were taken to a nearby hospital and remain in stable condition.

The attacks prompted a search for the leopard, which remained at large for hours, according to the Times. Residents were urged to stay inside, as some have seen it roaming around their courtyards.

"It has become very aggressive. We have laid traps inside the campus to capture it. Efforts are on to track it," Jorhat Ranjit Kowar, a divisional forest officer who works in the area, told the Times.

Footage emerged online showing the big cat attempting to attack a vehicle carrying residents, according to The Times. The intense video shows the big cat leap over a tall fence, landing gracefully at the edge of a road before instantly pouncing on a passing car. The leopard tried to cling to the window with its front claws, but the vehicle sped off, knocking the leopard off, who made off with a part of the car in its claws.

The leopard then ran in the opposite direction of the car. The footage continued to show the leopard roaming around a courtyard near the site of the attack.

After more than 24 hours of searching, local officials successfully tranquilized the leopard on Tuesday, according to local news outlet Pratidin Time. The forest ranger who found the leopard was injured and will undergo medical evaluation, and the leopard is being taken to the Regional Forest Officer's Office.

Officials have not said what provoked the leopard attacks in Assam, but these sorts of attacks against humans are considered to be uncommon. According to BBC Wildlife, leopards are among the least likely big cats to attack humans, but they may do so if they are injured, unable to hunt or are otherwise threatened.

To avoid leopard attacks, people should not approach the big cat closely and keep children secure in areas with leopard populations. If a leopard attacks someone, they are urged to shout, clap and wave their arms to appear bigger, according to BBC Wildlife.

Leopard Attacks, Although Uncommon, Have Occurred in Past

Still, leopard attacks do occur from time to time.

In November, two children, also in India, were mauled to death by leopards in two separate attacks. In one attack, a boy was walking home in his village when a leopard attacked him and dragged him to a nearby field. A 10-year-old girl was killed in a similar attack the same day when a leopard attacked her while picking vegetables on her family's farm.

A man and woman, a married couple, were also attacked by a leopard while sleeping in an abandoned hospital in September. The big cat killed the man after attacking his neck, and the woman suffered serious injuries.

Newsweek reached out to police officials in Assam for comment