In a remarkable display of courage, a 56-year-old woman in India fought off a leopard with a sickle, ultimately killing the predator in a desperate struggle that lasted nearly 30 minutes.
Kamla Devi, a resident of Koti village in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, was working in a field when the leopard attacked her. Despite sustaining severe injuries, she managed to defeat the animal.
Devi was watering the field when the leopard pounced. With only a sickle to defend herself, she fought the beast with determination and ferocity. After half an hour of intense combat, she killed the leopard.
However, her victory came at a cost, as she suffered significant injuries, including a severe wound on her hand and deep scratches across her body.
Following the incident, Devi was rushed to the Srinagar Garhwal Base Hospital, where doctors treated her wounds.
Dr. Rakesh Rawat, who attended to her, confirmed that while her injuries were severe, they were not life-threatening, and she is recovering steadily.
Reflecting on the harrowing experience, Devi said, “The leopard kept charging at me, and I was forced to fight against it. I fought with my sickle and killed it.”
Leopard attacks on humans are not uncommon in India. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), these attacks are rising as human activities, such as illegal forest exploitation and encroachment on animals’ natural habitats, are on the rise.
Despite the dangers, stories of bravery like Devi’s continue to inspire and highlight the resilience of those living where human-wildlife conflicts are frequent.
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