Encounters with wild animals can be deadly, but this man from Rajkot?got attacked by a lioness and lived to tell the tale. According to a Times of India report, the man was fast asleep in his hut, when a lioness jumped on his chest.?
The man - Vipul Khelaiya - did not panic, and pushed the lioness away. The report further added that the lioness did not expect a counter-attack and let go of the man.
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The incident occurred in Abharampara village of Savarkundla Taluka, in Gujarat's Amreli district. Khelaiya was asleep in his hut when he felt a heavy weight on top of his chest.?When he woke up, he saw a lioness sitting on his chest and looking back at him.?
However, he did not lose his calm, and pushed the lioness away. The big cat was taken aback at the man's strength and did not attack him again. She then left the hut and went back into the forest.
Khelaiya told TOI,?"The lioness must have realised that I was not her natural prey and that she made a huge blunder by selecting me."
He added,?¡°I was asleep in my hut when all of a sudden I was awoken by a growl, heavy weight on my chest and staring right into the eyes of death. Thankfully, I realized soon what was happening and instinctively kept a tight grip on my wits, gathered all my strength and with a Herculean force, pushed the lioness down from me."
Bhupendra Khuman, Sarpanch of the Jabal village said that such incidents often take place in the area as prides of lion have started inhabiting the Jabal and Abhrampara regions instead of the sanctuary. He said,?"Lions are frequently spotted in these areas."
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Khuman also added that usually lions attack cattle in the area and this was the first case where a man was attacked.?