The 15-year-old, Renu Majhi, was in tears as she narrated her story of how she saved herself from the jaws of death. She couldn’t cry on February 14 as doing so would have meant certain death, so now whenever she remembers those dreadful two hours, she breaks down to tears.
“On February 14, the morning we all came out to see the leopard. The entire village was out to have a sight of the leopard, which was roaming around in Bordubi Gaon. About 10 am, we reached this particular house when the leopard suddenly appeared near us. It was a moment of panic and chaos as none of us had seen a leopard from such proximity. Elders shouted, directing us to move into the house. We shoved ourselves into one of the three rooms in the house. There were seven of us in the small room. Suddenly the leopard dashed into our room. All managed to dash out and someone closed the door from outside.
“I was left behind and by the time I could escape it was too late, the leopard was inside and the door was shut on me. I was clueless…I wanted to shout to let my people know that I am inside, but couldn’t do so as that would be foolish. I hid behind a suitcase beside the almirah and the leopard was on the bed. My friends thought I was out. Though I had a mobile phone, I couldn’t call anyone for the same very reason. I was trembling, my limbs were practically numb. Though I was feeling cold, I was sweating. Every moment seemed like ages and I was in the doldrums,” narrated Renu Majhi to News18.
After a glass of water, the petrified student of 10th standard belonging to the Adivasi community continued her conversation sharing further details of the escape.
“I was feeling thirsty, my lips were dry. I realised that I did not move an inch for an hour and my eyes were constantly on the leopard which till then did not notice my presence. Scenes of films where tigers and leopards eat up humans flashed before me. There were two more rooms in the house but those were locked. People kept on shouting from outside asking for anybody inside. I couldn’t answer them, at that moment one of my friends called me on my phone.
“I whispered that I was locked up with the leopard and asked to inform the villagers urgently. It was my SOS and the last hope. Moments later I saw people removing the ceiling of the room and descending a ladder towards me. They were signalling me to cling to the ladder, but I realised that I was unable to move. I somehow gathered strength and courage and jumped onto the ladder. At that moment, the leopard stared at me and I started back at it. I was saved,” narrated Renu.
It took the forest department several arduous hours to tranquillize the leopard inside the room at around midnight. After several darts, the leopard was moved inside the cage placed right in front of the door.
Earlier in the day, the leopard injured five villagers in the Solmari area of Dekhiyajuli in the Sonitpur district of northern Assam.
“Renu reminds me of an advertisement, Tendua aye to Khada ho Jana aur lamba ho jana. She is a perfect example of what needs to be done in such a situation. Besides the almirah and the suitcase, Renu appeared a tall figure for the leopard. Leopards are basically lifters while tigers are hunters, moreover, the animal itself was terrified. I am proud for the girl who showed exemplary courage and braved the leopard,” expressed Pranjal Sharma, Divisional Forest Officer Western Assam Wildlife.
“I swear to myself that I shall never go to see leopard or elephant in my life. For a girl who’s dead scared of snakes, staying with a leopard locked in a room, I don’t even want to recollect it again ever in my life. Inside the room, I was worried about my parents. My mother is mentally disturbed and my father doesn’t keep well,” said Renu Majhi.
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