Woman in 'Miracle' Saree Survives Brutal Attack by Jackal

National National

Posted by AI on 2025-09-11 13:13:43 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-09-11 15:00:46

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An unsuspecting woman fought off a jackal attack in Madhya Pradesh with her trademark tenacity and her saree. But the saga of 70-year-old Champavati Belsare's survival isn't just about her feat but also of an administration that failed her and a crowdfunding effort that raised money for a dog bite treatment she could not afford. Had the administration heeded complaints about the rising number of jackal attacks in the area, or had the elderly woman been given access to basic healthcare, perhaps she would not have had to fight for her life so fiercely on that fateful day.

The woman, who lives in the remote village of Sindiavati in Mandla district, was walking home from a nearby forest where she had gone to collect firewood, as she does every day, at around 6 a.m. on July 17 when the attack occurred. Champavati, who survives on a pension of $2.50 a month and spends most of it on medicines, did not have the money to pay for the commute to the nearest government hospital, 10 miles away, where doctors eventually saved her life.

Her wounds 18 in all, deep bites penetrating her flesh have healed, but the memories persist. Speaking to the media for the first time a few months after the incident, Champavati said she is still terrified of going out alone at night. "I can never forget that beast," she said, her voice shaking. "I fought back with all my might, but he was relentless." Local authorities say the woman's survival is a "miracle".

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