A sister's love for 'wild brother': Rajasthan woman ties rakhi to a leopard

In a remarkable display of human-animal connection, a woman in Rajasthan tied a Rakhi to a leopard declaring the wild cat as her 'brother' and vowing to protect him.

The extraordinary event, captured on camera, shows the leopard sitting rather calmly during the ritual.

The video was shared on X (formerly Twitter), by the handle ‘VinoBhojak’.

The woman is seen gently holding the leopard’s paw, tying rakhi and even attempting to feed it some sweets.

यह तेंदुआ मेरा भाई है ...अब इसे नहीं मारे ...!!#SaveWildLife #Leopard #Rajsamand#रक्षाबन्धन #RakshaBandhan #राखी #राजस्थानी #Rajasthan #India pic.twitter.com/PidroBN3xq

— Vinod Bhojak (@VinoBhojak) August 9, 2025

According to locals, the animal has been seen frequently wandering into the village and appears unusually unafraid of humans.

However, the incident received mixed reactions from the netizens.

Slamming the incident, a user wrote, “Probably the same people that wounded the poor animal.”

“Uncivilised people,” another user commented.

Another user wrote, "That leopard doesn’t look like it’s fully aware of the surroundings.. drugged?"

While the act speaks volumes about the deep emotional bonds that can form between humans and wildlife, the Forest Department has issued a stern warning labelling the encounter as a 'dangerous act' and urging the public to maintain a safe distance from wild animals.