12-Year-Old Boy Attacked by Leopard During Safari at Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta Biological Park
12-Year-Old Boy Attacked by Leopard During Safari at Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta Biological Park
Bengaluru: In a shocking incident that could have turned fatal, a 12-year-old boy was attacked by a leopard during a wildlife safari at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in Bengaluru on Friday afternoon.
The boy, a resident of Bommasandra, was on a safari trip with his parents when the leopard struck. According to officials, the teenager had kept his hand outside the meshed window of a non-AC safari bus when the big cat lunged at him, clawing his arm.
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows the leopard initially sitting by the roadside as safari vehicles passed. Moments later, it approached the vehicle, rose up to the window, and poked its head inside before grabbing the boy’s hand with its sharp claws.
Leopard attacks 13-year-old at Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru during a safari ride.
— Vani Mehrotra (@vani_mehrotra) August 15, 2025
The incident happened this afternoon and the minor was immediately attended to by the park staff and was then taken to a hospital. He was discharged after treatment. pic.twitter.com/Oc7rEubsNH
The driver immediately returned the vehicle to the park’s head office, after which the injured boy was rushed to a nearby hospital in Jigani. He received first aid and was checked for other injuries. Doctors confirmed that he sustained minor wounds but was out of danger.
BBP executive director A.V. Surya Sen said all necessary steps were being taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
“The boy was injured during a non-AC bus leopard safari trip at BBP. The leopard clawed his hand as it was placed in an accessible position. We have reinforced the importance of proper covering of all safari bus windows using mesh, including camera slots, and issued strict instructions to drivers,” Sen told The Hindu.
He further noted that it is not unusual for leopards and other big cats to leap on safari buses and grip the window mesh. Following the incident, a medico-legal case was registered against the park management.
The episode has sparked debate on social media, with many users questioning both the safety measures at BBP and parental supervision.
“Don’t mess with the environment and wild animals,” one user warned, while another asked, “How can parents let the boy keep his hand outside? What was the safari guide doing?”
Others pointed out that visitors often opt for non-AC safari buses due to Bengaluru’s humid weather, leaving windows open for ventilation, which increases the risk of such encounters.
Though the boy escaped with minor injuries, experts and wildlife enthusiasts have urged stricter guidelines and enforcement of safety protocols to ensure tourist safety during wildlife safaris.
