Handler fights off leopard to save his jenny

The wounds inflicted by the leopard on detection squad dog Jenny; (right) PSI Vinod Ballal and Jenny (left)

An unarmed police sub-inspector, Vinod Ballal, risked his life to rescue his four-year-old detection dog, Jenny, from the jaws of a leopard in Aarey Milk Colony earlier this month. Ballal's bravery has won him the respect of his seniors.

The incident took place on the night of June 2 when Ballal, the in-charge of the police's Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) unit at Aarey Milk Colony, took Jenny, a Belgian Shepherd, for a walk so she could relieve herself on the premises.

Ballal told mid-day, "Around 9 pm, when Jenny was defecating, a big cat emerged out of nowhere and pounced on her."

"Initially, I could not figure out if it was a leopard or another dog that attacked Jenny because it was dim outside. But since Jenny was yelping, I jumped on the predator to protect the dog," he added.

Ballal's actions made the big cat loosen its grip on Jenny's neck and the leopard released a loud growl. It was only then that the police officer realised he was face-to-face with an apex predator.

"I could only see the fierce eyes of the nocturnal animal, which was positioning itself to attack both of us," he recalled.

"The growl was nerve-wracking. I tried to muster the courage to shoo away the leopard, but the big cat opened its mouth wide to growl again and was about to attack me," he recalled.

"But I stood fast, holding Jenny in my arms, and scared the leopard away by shouting even louder than it," Ballal added.

"Hearing my booming voice, the leopard disappeared into the jungle," the police officer added.

Though Ballal was injured while trying to subdue the feline, sustaining injuries to his abdomen, the dog handler immediately rushed Jenny to a hospital in Andheri once the coast was clear. "Jenny was bleeding due to the bite wounds on her neck. She recuperated at the hospital," Ballal said.

The Belgian Shepherd, which was inducted into the force in 2020, is hale and hearty, and resumed duty on June 25.