This is the shocking moment a brave young boy’s quick thinking helped him escape what could have been a deadly disaster.
Mohit Ahire, 12, from Maharashtra, India, was casually scrolling through his phone when a predator burst into the room.
The child was relaxing in an office at the Sai Celebration wedding hall in Nashik district on Tuesday morning before he was startled by the big cat.
A powerful video of the moment Mohit made a clever escape is circulating on social media and viewers are praising him for his remarkable display of bravery.
Mohit Ahire was playing on his cell phone in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, India, on Tuesday when a leopard entered the room he was in
The big cat seemed to ignore him as he walked past the corner of the wedding hall office
The images show the boy engrossed in his phone while sitting on a chair facing the door.
But in a shocking turn of events, a huge leopard walks into the room and doesn’t seem to notice the bewildered Mohit as he sneaks by.
After spotting the wild animal, Mohit quietly climbs down from his chair while disconnecting his phone.
With his eyes glued to the predator, he runs to the door as soon as the leopard is in the corner of the room and quickly pulls it shut.
Even under pressure, Mohit remembered to take his phone with him when he escaped.
Speak with Times of IndiaMohit said, “The leopard was so close. There was barely any space between the leopard and me.
‘I was scared, but quietly got off the couch and crept out of the office. “I closed the door behind me,” he added.
The video further shows the spotted cat lying on the office floor behind a chair before being carried by forest department officials.
According to local reports, the leopard was tranquilized and returned to its natural habitat unharmed.
The owner of the wedding hall, Anil Pawar, was also taken aback by Mohit’s quick thinking and applauded him for remaining calm.
Footage showed the leopard completely entering the small room as the boy watched in horror and planned his escape
The brave young boy jumped to his feet and quickly left the room, showing his courage as he locked the leopard in the office until authorities arrived.
“The leopard went straight into the inner hut without noticing the boy,” he told Times of India.
“When the child saw the animal passing by barely a meter away from him, he remained calm,” he added.
According to the business owner, the five-year-old male leopard had been spotted earlier in the day and police and forest officials had been searching for it.
Mohit reportedly told his father, who works as a security guard at the wedding hall, that he had locked the leopard in his office, prompting him to make a panicked call to authorities.