Little braveheart battles leopard

This one could make it straight to the bravery awards. A 14-year-old girl valiantly fought a leopard and freed her six-year-old niece from its clutches in Junagadh district.

This one could make it straight to the bravery awards. A 14-year-old girl valiantly fought a leopard and freed her six-year-old niece from its clutches in Junagadh district.

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The girl, Radha Maheda, and her niece Savli Maheda — tribals from Madhya Pradesh — worked in a farm near Bilkha and lived in a hut there.

On Tuesday night, when they were fast asleep, a leopard entered the farm with her two cubs. The big cat crept into their hut and grabbed Savli by her foot. Her cries for help woke Radha, who ran after the leopard.

"I pounced on the leopard. I looked into her eyes… they were blood red. She dropped Savli and attacked me. But it didn't scare me. All I thought then was I must save Savli and myself… no matter how. The leopard had mauled me but I used all my might. Suddenly, she gave up and disappeared in the darkness. Her cubs had already run away. I was in acute pain, but was happy that I had saved my niece," said Radha.

Radha and her niece are in hospital. The forest department has sent a four-member team to Bilkha to catch the leopard.