Ahmedabad : In a heart-stopping incident on Monday evening, 2-year-old Asir had a miraculous escape in the leopard attack, all thanks to the quick thinking and courageous actions of his mother in Junagadh, Gujarat. The young boy was playing in front of their home in the Dolatpara area of Junagadh when a sudden terror struck as a leopard leaped over the compound wall, seizing Asir by the neck.
Asir’s cries alerted his mother, who, undeterred by fear, sprinted towards the scene. Seeing her child in the grips of the wild animal, instead of succumbing to panic, she fearlessly chased after the leopard. “I ran towards the compound wall, and with my wife’s help, we managed to pull Asir away from the leopard’s grasp,” recounted Sahid Shida, Asir’s father, who joined in the rescue.
The thwarted animal, apparently sensing the ferocity of an enraged mother, swiftly retreated, vaulted the compound wall, and disappeared into the surrounding forest.
With Asir bleeding from the encounter, his parents rushed him to the government hospital in Junagadh. After receiving primary treatment, he was promptly referred to the Rajkot government hospital, where he is currently undergoing further medical care.
This alarming incident marks the third leopard attack recorded by the forest department in the last week. Previously, a five-year-old girl fell victim to a leopard in Hadmatiya village on November 24th, and tragically, 11-year-old Payal lost her life to a leopard during the Lili Parikrama.
Speaking on the matter, a forest officer, preferring anonymity, disclosed that the leopard responsible for Payal’s demise had been captured and placed under supervision in a rehabilitation camp. However, the leopard involved in Asir’s attack appears to be a different animal, indicating multiple leopards prowling the area.
The series of recent incidents has raised concerns among local authorities and residents, urging heightened vigilance and measures to ensure the safety of the community, especially in areas prone to wildlife encounters.