india

Updated: Jun 01, 2019 22:15 IST

A dog saved his owner’s life by forcing a tiger to retreat in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh Saturday.

Pancham Gajba (22) and his brother were returning from a jungle near Paraspani village in the morning after attending nature’s call when the incident took place, said Divisional Forest Officer T S Suliya.

As he was breaking off a tree branch, a tiger jumped out from bushes and attacked him, Gajba told reporters. His brother was some distance away.

His dog, however, didn’t scamper away but started barking ferociously.

“The tiger stood over me, on my hands, but before it could get at my throat, the dog started barking. I had a near-death experience,” he added.

“The tiger then stepped back and for a while stood still. After my brother and villagers came to my rescue, alerted by the dog’s barking, the tiger melted back into the jungle,” he said.

Suliya said Gajba sustained deep wounds on his hands and head. He was given preliminary treatment at a hospital at Kurai.

Suliya, Pench Tiger Reserve’s veterinarian Dr Akilesh Mishra and other forest officers visited the spot and advised people to stay off the jungle, the official said.