Brave Odisha Youth Fights Off Leopard in Midnight Face-Off, Saves His Life and Village
In a heart-stopping encounter that showcased extraordinary courage, a 26-year-old man from Odisha’s Cuttack district stared danger in the face — and emerged victorious.
When Subhransu Bhol of Anantaprasad village heard his dogs barking wildly late on Friday night, he sensed something was terribly wrong.
The unusual noise coming from his farmhouse was enough to alert him that an intruder had arrived — but nothing could have prepared him for what lay beyond the door.
As he stepped cautiously outside, Subhransu came face to face with a leopard. The two-year-old male predator had already begun attacking one of his pet dogs and, moments later, lunged towards him.
While most people would have frozen in fear or tried to flee, Subhransu stood his ground. Armed with nothing but a kitchen knife, he fought back with remarkable presence of mind.
In a fierce struggle, he managed to stab the leopard, ultimately killing it — though not without sustaining serious injuries to his head and body.
His father, Sudarshan Bhol, recalled the terrifying moments.
“Between 12:30 am and 1 am, my son called me in panic and asked me to arrange an ambulance and rush to the farmhouse.
When I pressed him for details, he told me a leopard had entered and attacked him,” he said.
After the intense confrontation, Subhransu locked himself inside the house to stay safe until help arrived.
Family members and villagers soon rushed to the spot, gave him first aid and shifted him to SCB Medical College in Cuttack for further treatment. Doctors have confirmed that his condition is stable.
One of the two pet dogs that first confronted the wild animal was also injured, and the family reported damage to their property and a vehicle during the chaos.
Forest officials from the Narsinghpur West range quickly reached the scene and recovered the leopard’s carcass.
Senior officers and a joint task force later inspected the area to understand how the animal wandered into a residential zone.
According to Assistant Conservator of Forests Manoj Patra, there had been no previous reports of leopard movement in the locality, and the animal may have strayed due to abnormal behaviour.
Preliminary findings suggest that the youth acted purely in self-defence.
Today, Subhransu Bhol is being hailed as a symbol of bravery — a young man whose quick thinking and fearless spirit prevented what could have been a tragic loss of life.
His courage not only saved himself but likely spared others in the village from a deadly encounter.
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