12-Year-Old Indian Boy Locks Leopard In Room

In a tale that seems straight out of a wildlife documentary, 12-year-old Mohit Ahire from Malegaon, Maharashtra, displayed nerves of steel when faced with a leopard. Ahire, the son of a wedding hall security guard, found himself in a precarious situation when a leopard sauntered into the office where he was seated, engrossed in his phone.

The viral video capturing the heart-stopping moment shows the leopard casually entering the room, seemingly unaware of the boy's presence. With remarkable composure, Ahire sets aside his phone, gets up, and calmly exits the room, ensuring to shut the door behind him. His quick thinking and calm demeanor saved him from a potentially dangerous encounter.

"The leopard was so close. There was hardly any space between the leopard and me. It walked into the inner cabin of the office right in front of me. I was scared, but I quietly got off the bench and sneaked out of the office. I closed the door behind me," Ahire recounted to Times of India.

Anil Pawar, the wedding hall owner, explained the close call, stating, "The dimensions of the booking office are 22ft × 10ft. We have created two compartments in the office. Mohit Ahire was seated in the first compartment near the entrance. The leopard headed straight into the inner cabin without noticing the boy. When the child saw the animal walk past barely a foot away from him - he stayed calm. He later sneaked out of the office and pulled the door behind him."

The leopard had been spotted in the area earlier, prompting authorities to be on alert. Once informed of the incident, the police and forest officials quickly responded. Malegaon range forest officer Vaibhav Hiray confirmed, "Our personnel were in the neighborhood when the boy trapped the leopard in the wedding hall's office. We immediately called a team from Nashik city. Later, the five-year-old male leopard was tranquilized and rescued."

Mohit Ahire's quick thinking and bravery have not only saved him from harm but have also captured the admiration of many who have viewed the video, which serves as a testament to the young boy's courage in the face of danger.