A 14-year-old boy in Odisha survived a near two-hour struggle with a wild boar by holding the animal's jaws shut with his hands until rescuers arrived. Passersby alerted a fire services unit, which trapped the boar and pulled the boy from the Nadikunda canal; he was treated at a sub-divisional hospital and is expected to recover. Villagers say boar activity in the area has increased and have asked the Forest Department to relocate the animals to prevent further attacks.
Teen Clamps Wild Boar's Jaws Shut for Nearly Two Hours to Survive Canal Attack in Odisha
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In a harrowing incident in eastern India, 14-year-old Suman fought off a wild boar by clamping the animal's jaws shut with his hands for nearly two hours after it chased him into the Nadikunda canal near Gopalpur village in Cuttack district, Odisha.
The attack began when the boar pursued Suman; when he jumped into the canal to escape, the animal followed and continued biting. With no weapon and few options, Suman gripped the boar's mouth to prevent further injuries until help arrived.
Passersby eventually noticed the prolonged struggle and alerted a nearby fire services unit. Rescue teams equipped with specialized gear managed to trap the boar and pull Suman from the canal. He was then taken to a local sub-divisional hospital for treatment.
Dr. Abhishek Swain, who treated the boy, said: "The child is a little nervous, but his injuries have been treated properly. He should recover within a day or two."
Villager Prabhudatta Rout, who first spotted the attack, described raising the alarm:
"When I shouted at him, I saw him struggling with a wild boar. I raised an alarm, and villagers gathered after calling a fire team for rescue."
Locals told reporters that wild boar sightings and activity around the Nadikunda canal have become more frequent, prompting calls for the Forest Department to relocate the animals back into nearby forests to reduce the risk of future encounters.
Suman later described the split-second decision that likely saved his life:
"When it followed me into the canal and began attacking, I grabbed its mouth with all my strength. I was extremely frightened, but I knew I had to be brave to save my life. I did not let it loose and that is how I survived. Otherwise, the boar could have killed me."
The report also references recent, similar human-wildlife conflicts — from boars damaging property and injuring people in India to invasive pigs and dangerous tourist encounters with large wildlife in parks abroad — highlighting broader concerns about coexistence and public safety.
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