Malkangiri: For the first time, a baby girl has been seriously injured in a hyena attack in the Mathili block area of Malkangiri district. According to reports, a hyena attacked Sarjani Madkami, the four-year-old daughter of Muke Madkami and Aite Madkami of Jandraguda village under Temurupalli panchayat in Mathili block of Malkangiri.
Sarjani’s father was not at home. While the baby girl was playing in the street near her house, her mother had gone to a nearby well to fetch water. At that time, a hyena came from the nearby forest and attacked the child. As a result, the baby girl screamed. Hearing her screams, mother Aite ran after the animal and called the villagers.
The villagers rushed towards the forest. Hearing the villagers’ shouts, the hyena left the child in fear and ran back into the forest. By then, the baby girl was seriously injured.After the attack, villagers immediately informed local Sarpanch Tumbeshwar Samarth over phone. The Sarpanch contacted the nearby BSF camp. As no vehicle was available there, he called ‘108’ and later arranged an Arogya Seva vehicle to bring the baby girl to Mathili Sub-divisional Hospital.
Doctors at the hospital treated Sarjani and said she is currently undergoing treatment and is now out of danger. Malkangiri ACF Manas Kumar Khimudu said there were rumors that it was a tiger, but forest department staff identified it as a hyena based on footprints and wound marks.“All medical expenses of the baby will be covered under the Odisha Forest Department’s Compassionate Assistance Scheme,” ACF Khimudu said.
He added that the hyena population is high in Malkangiri district. “If any wild animal comes towards a village settlement, do not panic. Contact the forest department immediately. Awareness programs are being conducted in the Mathili area,” he said.
Forest officials have urged villagers to keep children under supervision, especially during early morning and evening hours.
