BHOPAL: A nine-year-old boy is battling for his life at a government hospital in Gwalior after being rescued from a deadly leopard attack just a few kilometres from Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district. The boy’s mother, who fought off the animal, initially described it as a "cheetah." However, authorities from Kuno National Park have confirmed that the predator was a leopard, based on camera trap footage from the area.
The attack occurred in Umrikala village, Vijaypur, Sheopur, a buffer zone just 4 km from Kuno, on Monday, where 16 cheetahs were recently released into the wild.
The victim, Avinash Dhakad, was playing in the courtyard of his home when the wild animal suddenly pounced on him, according to media reports. His mother, Suraksha Dhakad, described how the animal sank its claws and teeth into her son's face and neck.
Upon hearing her son's screams, Suraksha, who was feeding cattle nearby, rushed to the scene and found Avinash trapped in the animal’s grip. A struggle lasting several minutes ensued, during which she fought desperately to free her son. She managed to pull Avinash away from the leopard’s jaws, but not before the animal inflicted deep wounds on his face and head.
The child's condition was critical, and he was initially treated at Vijaypur Hospital before being transferred to a specialist hospital in Gwalior due to the severity of his injuries. Following a two-and-a-half-hour operation at Gwalior’s Super Speciality Hospital, doctors stitched 120 wounds on his face and neck, saving his life. He remains under medical observation.
Suraksha recalled the terrifying ordeal while speaking to local media:
"When I reached there, I held my son’s hand and pulled him towards me. It felt as if 50 men were pulling him from the other side. I used all my strength. Finally, I pulled my son out of its jaws, but his entire face was torn and blood was flowing. Today, my son is safe."
Doctors described the complexity of the operation, explaining that the biggest challenge was closing the deep, torn wounds without causing further facial damage. They ensured the stitches were placed carefully to allow for proper healing. Due to the risk of infection from the leopard’s saliva, Avinash is being closely monitored.
Uttam Sharma, Director of the Lion Project, told TOI:
"Our staff had been taking care of the child and the family for the last three days with all possible financial assistance. There is no doubt about identification of the animal. It was a leopard."
Camera traps installed by the Corbett Foundation also confirmed leopard movements in the same village.
Sharma further added, "Every cheetah is being monitored by a monitoring team 24/7. We know every cheetah's movement and exactly where they have gone. If you look at historical facts, there has not been a single recorded attack by a cheetah on a human anywhere in the world, let alone a fatal one. I believe the cheetahs in India are no different."
Leopard or Cheetah? Confusion over the predator’s identityThere has been some confusion regarding the identity of the predator, as Suraksha Dhakad initially believed the animal was a cheetah, describing its distinctive features, including lines near its eyes. However, the forest department has ruled out this possibility, stating that the attack pattern was characteristic of a leopard.
Umrikala village is located 27 km from Vijaypur but only 4 km from Kuno National Park, where cheetahs were reintroduced. Some villagers reported sightings of a cheetah just a day before the attack, leading to speculation.
However, officials explained that cheetahs do not typically attack in the same way as leopards. A cheetah's hunting style differs, whereas the leopard’s method—latching onto its prey with claws and jaws—is consistent with this incident.