In a heroic act, a man named Baby from the Veerankudy tribal settlement in Malakkappara, Kerala, fought off a leopard to save his four-year-old son, Rahul, who was dragged from their hut during a late-night attack. The incident occurred around 2:15 a.m. on Saturday while the family was asleep. Baby chased the leopard with a stone, forcing it to retreat into the forest. Rahul sustained serious head injuries and was taken to multiple hospitals, eventually undergoing surgery at the Government Medical College Hospital in Thrissur. Forest officials later reported that the leopard returned near the hut after the attack.
This alarming incident adds to a growing number of leopard attacks in Kerala’s forest-bordering regions. Past cases include the death of a six-year-old girl in Valparai and repeated attacks in Malakkappara and Kasaragod. In response, the Kerala Forest Department has launched a 10-point action plan featuring Rapid Response Teams and real-time tracking of wildlife. The government has also declared human-wildlife conflict a “State Specific Disaster” to expedite aid and compensation. Efforts to resettle 47 tribal families from high-risk zones like Malakkappara are underway to enhance safety for vulnerable communities.