Meghnagar (Madhya Pradesh): In a bizarre incident, three kids were seriously injured after they were attacked by a leopard. The incident was reported on Tuesday evening at Gwali Range when the trio were grazing their cattle.
The leopard suddenly emerged from the nearby bushes and pounced on the unsuspecting children, causing severe injuries. The incident left the villagers in shock and raised concerns about the safety of children and their livestock in the area.
The villagers took all three kids to the primary health centre (PHC) at Meghnagar and later were referred to the district hospital. Those who were injured include 16-year-old Varsha, Praveen Bariya, 8, and Ashwin Katara, 10.
All three kids got deep cuts and currently are undergoing treatment. According to sources, Varsha was attacked by the leopard in the morning, while Praveen and Ashwin were attacked by the leopard in the evening.
It is surprising that even after the first and the second incidents, top officials of the forest department did not get information about the incident, whereas the villagers had called the forest ranger and informed him.
Only after the first aid of the victims of the second incident was completed, the ranger along with some forest employees reached the Meghnagar hospital to complete their formalities. Villagers claimed that immediately after the incident, they informed forest department vanpal Inder Singh Makodiya about the incident several times, but he neither reached Bandisera village nor the hospital.
No ambulance available
Adding to their woes, the injured kids and their families did not get an ambulance service to take them to the district hospital. After waiting for about 40 minutes, they were finally sent to Jhabua in the same Bolero vehicle in which the children were brought to the Government Hospital in Meghnagar.
The lack of government ambulance services in Meghnagar has been a persistent issue for the villagers, leaving them with no choice but to rely on their means of transportation during emergencies. This incident highlights the urgent need for improved accessibility to medical facilities in rural areas like Meghnagar.
Leopard or Lion, fear among villagers
Two back-to-back incidents reminded villagers of previous encounters with leopards and lions in the area, heightening their anxiety and concern for their safety here in Bandisera village. According to the injured children, they were attacked by a lion in the forest, although they did not know the difference between a lion and a leopard. Forest rangers and other employees reached the hospital and took information from the children about the wild animal.
Ranger DK Morya after seeing the injured children, said that possibly a leopard had attacked the children. The officers confirmed leopard movement in the forest, saying that Bandisera and Satsera have huge forests.
This forest is home to many types of wild animals, there is a suitable place for leopards to live in the forest, and their movement is always there. Forest officials told the villagers not to send children into the forest. Regarding the leopard, it is said that it quickly attacks children, especially girls. According to villagers, incidents of attacks on goats and cows have happened in the past as well.
