COIMBATORE: A 50-year-old man fought off a leopard that attacked him after entering his house to prey on his pet dog in Gudalur on Thursday early morning hours.

According to the forest department, Gajendran (50) from Kozhipalam in Gudalur municipality, was fast asleep in the hall with his dog tied beneath the cot, while his wife had gone to a relative's house and two sons were in another room.

At around 3 am, Gajendran woke up to find a leopard attacking his dog. It then pounced on him, and he fought off by using his woollen blanket as a shield.

The carnivore, which forced its way by breaking through the weak main door, had then retreated from the house. Soon, the neighbours rushed Gajendran to the GH.