M A I N   N E W S

TRIBUNE FOLLOW-UP
Mauled Nirmala battles for life
She risked her life to save 13-year-old boy
Rakesh Lohumi
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 19
Nirmala Devi, who killed a leopard with a sickle after a bloody fight at Pipli village in Mandi yesterday, is battling for life with multiple grave injuries at the Indira Gandhi Medical College Hospital here.

A team of doctors headed by Dr Ramesh Chauhan operated upon her to treat the injuries and set right the fractured bones. She has sustained multiple fractures due to deep leopard bites on the right shoulder bones, two metacarpal bones on the left and fracture on the hand. Besides, there are unaccountable gashes on both her legs and back left temple. Her condition is still serious.

Not only are the injuries serious in nature, there is also risk of life threatening infection in cases of animal bites. She is hanging between life and death and the next six days are crucial for her survival.

It took a long time for the doctors to remove the waste flesh, which had been chewed by the leopard, after which they used nails to fix the fractured bones in the right shoulder and hand. Her husband Ghanshyam, brother-in-law Roop Singh and other relatives were anxiously waiting outside the operation theatre as the doctors performed a prolonged operation. The Forest Department gave Rs 8200 for the treatment, but the expenses could be much more.

Roop Singh maintained that the battle Nirmala Devi fought with the beast had saved Binder, a 13-year-old boy who was grazing sheep in the area. The leopard emerged suddenly from the bushes as the boy, who was at some distance from her, was returning home.

Initially, the leopard pounced on the boy, but as Nirmala came from behind, it attacked her. The beast became more ferocious as the pointed end of the sickle pierced its eye. She defended herself with the sickle for half an hour during which she was repeatedly attacked. In the meantime, the boy raised an alarm and returned along with other villagers to the spot. However, they could not do much. The battle ended only after the beast fell dead and the brave woman lay flat on the ground in a semi-conscious state.

MANDI (OC): The leopard, which was killed after it attacked and mauled Nirmala Devi in the outskirts of Pipli village in Balh valley of this district, was cremated on the banks of the Beas this evening by a team of forest officials in accordance with the provision of Wildlife Protection Act.

Meanwhile, Nirmala Devi was given compensation of Rs 8250 which is 25 per cent of the total allowable relief. The balance will be paid within a week after complying with the formalities, said Mr H.V. Kathuria, Divisional Forest Officer.