Doctors treat 17-year-old tiger attack survivor, says "successfully cured his injuries"

By Shalini Bhardwaj
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], March 13 : A 17-year-old boy, identified as Ankit who saved his life by pulling out the tongue of a big cat in a remote area of Ramnagar, Uttrakhand was "successfully cured his injuries," according to doctors.
While speaking to ANI, Dr Asheesh Dhingra, a Plastic and Cosmetic Surgeon at Manipal Hospital, described the condition of the victim on his arrival at the hospital stating that the condition was very poor but they successfully cured his injuries.
"The exclusivity from the injury point was that we in this part of the world don't see tiger bites so often. And he was almost on the verge of getting killed by the tiger. And showing his presence of mind the child not only escaped but saved his life. He came to us in a really bad condition but we successfully cured his injuries and got him back to his life using plastic surgical skills and our set which we have here," Dr Dhingra said.
He highlighted the unusual nature of the case, stating, "This was a case of a tiger bite, something we don't see so often in this part of the world."
He further asserted that Ankit's resilience helped him to successfully operate.
"On November 2nd, when Ankit Kumar was returning from school, he was attacked by a tiger, and he received treatment at the local hospital. After that, his relatives took him to AIIMS Rishikesh on November 4th. On the 5th, a relative approached me regarding his injuries and the incident, and I suggested bringing him here. On the 5th, some children brought him here. I spoke to the child, and surprisingly, he was very positive. He showed no signs of fear, and seeing his resilience, we believed we could help him," Dr Asheesh Dhingra said.
He said that it would take a few more months for the scars to be removed and hailed Amit's resilience who showed great bravery and gave full cooperation to the medical team.
Talking to ANI, Ankit described the encounter and stated that his head was in the tiger's mouth, but on immediate action, he pulled his tongue which saved his life.
Ankit Kumar described, "I was coming from school, and there was a tiger on the road. It attacked me and dragged me into the jungle. It attacked me from behind, and I was severely injured. It bit my head, but I immediately reacted and grabbed its tongue. After that, I managed to escape. Now, I am much better."
He also said that there was no support from the forest officials.
"My friends informed the forest guard but he did not save me, he said to my father that I was almost dead but my father didn't accept it so he came to the spot where I was attacked by the tiger and shouted my name, after which I came up," Ankit Kumar said.
Hospital Director, Naveen Pascal, commended the multidisciplinary approach taken by the medical team, stating, "In such serious cases, surgery requires a multidisciplinary approach. We are proud of our doctors who not only give hope but also new life to the needy."
Commending the victim he said, "We also salute the courage of this young boy. His wisdom has not only saved his life but has also helped in spreading awareness and awareness in areas prone to wildlife encounters. "It has also demonstrated the need to maintain preparedness."