Leopards are in the same bracket as tigers, with respect to the protection accorded to them. And hence, the alleged inhuman way in which a spotted cat was handled recently in Pune's Junnar taluka has raised the hackles of animal lovers and wildlife experts. A sub adult male leopard that had entered a farm near Chalakwadi on Tuesday night to hunt sheep and was allegedly attacked by dogs may have been assaulted by villagers, his injuries indicate.

Photos also show the injured animal tied to a bamboo and taken to a veterinary hospital. What's more shocking is that no forest department official present at the site objected to the manner in which the leopard was taken. A local snake rescuer and animal welfare activist who visited the spot said the leopard had tried to climb a tree that night to protect himself from the guard dogs.