A 50-year-old woman from Chennai suffered injuries to her hand on Thursday after a leopard at Bannerghatta National Park suddenly leapt onto a safari bus and clawed her through the mesh window. She was rushed to a hospital in Jigani, where officials confirmed her condition is stable.
The incident occurred around 1 pm during a scheduled leopard safari. The woman, identified as Vahitha Banu (56), received immediate first aid on-site before being taken to a private hospital for further treatment.
A video circulating widely on social media shows the leopard climbing onto the safari bus and pawing aggressively through the window in an attempt to attack her.
Officials Say Leopard Found Gap in Mesh
According to park officials, safari buses are fitted with metal wire mesh over windows and openings to prevent direct contact between animals and visitors. However, the leopard was able to reach its paw through a small gap in the mesh, resulting in scratch injuries.
சென்னையை சேர்ந்த 50 வயது பெண் ஒருவர் கர்நாடகா மாநிலம் (bannerghatta) உயிரியல் பூங்கா சஃபாரி பேருந்தில் ஜன்னல் ஓர இருக்கையில் அமர்ந்திருந்தார்
அங்கிருந்த சிறுத்தை ஒன்று திடீரென பேருந்தில் பாய்ந்து ஏறி அவரது கையை கடித்தால் காயம் ஏற்படவே அவர் மருத்துவமனைக்கு கொண்டு செல்லப்பட்டார் pic.twitter.com/mjAGl9b961
— Rajini (@rajini198080) November 14, 2025
An official stated, “The woman received scratch injuries to her hand and was given first aid. She was shifted to a private hospital for treatment and is stated to be doing fine.”
Authorities noted that safari drivers had been previously warned about an earlier leopard attack and instructed to follow strict precautions.
In an official statement, the park said the non-AC safari bus service has been halted indefinitely. The downtime will allow for a complete safety assessment of all safari vehicles.
The statement added, “The buses will be assessed for complete safety during the downtime. Inconvenience caused to visitors is regretted.”
