In a daring act of bravery, 12-year-old Mohit Ahire managed to lock a leopard inside an office cabin at the Sai Celebration wedding hall on the Malegaon-Nampur Road, saving himself and the town from a potentially dangerous encounter. The incident unfolded on Tuesday morning, captivating the local community and highlighting Ahire’s remarkable courage and intelligence.
Ahire, the son of a security guard at the wedding hall, was engrossed in playing on his cellphone near the booking office when he suddenly noticed the leopard approaching him. Despite the proximity, the young boy went unnoticed by the wildcat, allowing him to slip out of the office and quietly shut the door behind him, trapping the leopard inside.
The owner of the wedding hall described the close encounter, revealing that the office measured 22 feet by 10 feet, with two sections. Ahire was seated in the first compartment near the entrance, and as the leopard passed by only a foot away, he maintained his composure. The leopard, seemingly uninterested in the boy, entered the inner cabin.
Local residents, along with the police and forest service, had been searching for the leopard in the neighboring residential area earlier that morning. When Ahire informed his father and the authorities about trapping the leopard, a rescue operation ensued. The booking office shutter was pulled down, securing the potentially dangerous situation.
The forest officer from the Malegaon range explained that their staff was already in the vicinity when the incident occurred, enabling them to quickly summon a Nashik City team. The five-year-old male leopard was successfully tranquilized, ensuring the safety of both the residents and the animal.
This incident sheds light on the frequent leopard sightings in the area, attributed to the nearby agricultural fields and the flow of the Mousam River, creating an environment conducive to wildlife encounters.
