An 18-year-old student fought off a tiger with his bare hands and eventually killed the animal using stones after it attacked him near his home in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district, officials said.
The youth, identified as Pravesh Sharma, is a second-year student at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI). The dramatic encounter took place around 7 am on Monday in Sarli village of Arki district when he went out to collect milk, news agency PTI reported.
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According to Sharma, the tiger pounced on him a few meters from his house. In a desperate attempt to save himself, he grabbed the animal by the jaws to prevent it from attacking his neck. The struggle continued for more than 10 minutes, during which he shouted for help while fighting the predator.
Using stones found nearby, Sharma repeatedly struck the tiger’s jaws and claws until the animal finally died, the report said. He suffered several injuries to his hands, shoulders, arms, legs, and face during the confrontation.
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He was later transferred to Arki Hospital where he received treatment and was released on the same day. Forest department officials visited him and handed him over $The report indicated $5,000 in immediate aid, praising his courage.
Residents said that the area has witnessed sightings and attacks of leopards in recent days. On March 6, a motorcyclist was reportedly attacked, prompting villagers to urge forest officials to install cages.
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The report also stated that in another incident in December 2025, one person lost his life and nine others were injured in leopard attacks in villages of Mandi district, after which local residents killed the animal in question.
(With inputs from PTI)
