Three villagers survive leopard attack

Handeni. Three residents said to be from Gole village in Handeni District are nursing wounds at the District hospital following a leopard attack.

Speaking at the hospital, one of the victims, Twalibu Hassan, told this paper that he was attacked by the animal at night when he went out to attend to the call of nature.

He said the leopard injured him on his leg and hands and his calls for assistance went unanswered.

“I know it was impossible for people to come out quickly and assist me during that hour,” he said.

Another victims, Hamisi Rashidi, said after hearing the stress signals from his fellow villager, he decided to come out and when he arrived the animal also attacked him.

He said he started to fight with the leopard but it injured him on his arms.

“Fortunately, many people started to come out and they started to beat the animal which run away after injuring another person,” he said.

Acting Chief Medical officer at the hospital, Dr Hudi Shehedadi, said the three villagers are responding well to treatment.

He named the third injured person as Seleman Nassoro.

The Tanga Regional Police Commander, Benedict Wakulyamba, confirmed the incident but said those who have been injured were people from the neighbouring Bagamoyo District.

But his Coast counterpart, Jonathan Shana, said he was not informed that people from his area of jurisdiction have been injured by a leopard in a neighbouring district.