Lakhimpur Kheri, June 25 -- In a remarkable display of bravery, Mihi Lal, 35, fought off a leopard, bare-handed, on Tuesday afternoon. In a brick kiln near Baburi village, in Dhaurahra range of north Kheri forest division, a leopard, estimated to be around three to four years of age, was hiding. As soon as an unsuspecting Mihi Lal was within range, the big cat pounced on him and attempted to drag him inside a nearby banana orchard. However, Mihi Lal caught the leopard by its neck and pinned it to the ground. The leopard clawed Mihi Lal in an attempt to escape his hold, delivering several cuts and injuries to him. Local villagers rushed to the spot and attacked the leopard with brick pieces. A forest guard, a police man and a villager were reported to have been injured in the leopard's attack. Forest officials were intimated following which they obtained emergency permission for tranquilising the leopard, deputy director, buffer zone, Saureesh Sahay, said. A forest rescue team tranquilised the leopard, which was later carried to Dhaurahra range headquarters. The injured were rushed to the hospital where their condition was reported to be out of danger. Deputy field director, buffer zone, Saureesh Sahay, visited the injured and assured them all help. In yet another incident in Jatpurva village, in the Shardanagar area, on Tuesday, a young leopard had been rescued by the same forest department team a few hours earlier. The young leopard, looking visibly unwell and non-agressive, was spotted by passers-by shivering with cold. On seeing the villagers, the young leopard attempted to move to some safe place, dragging its feet, following which the forest rescue team was informed and they rescued the leopard. Saureesh Sahay, deputy field director, Dudhwa buffer zone, said that the leopards were under the supervision of veterinary experts, who would physically examine the health condition of both big cats to decide the further course of action. He further said that the leopard of Baburi had also been injured in the counter-attack by villagers and its health condition would be clear after it revived from tranquilisers....