A 32-year-old woman in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich fought a leopard to rescue her six-year-old son being dragged into nearby sugarcane fields on Thursday morning.Meena reportedly suffered injuries to her hands, legs, back, and head during the struggle, while Mohit escaped with scratches and minor injuries.The incident took place in Teliyanpurwa village under the Barkhadiya Beat of the Katarniaghat Range in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.According to the villagers, Meena Devi was sitting by the roadside with her six-year-old son, Mohit, when the leopard sprang out of the dense sugarcane crop and, before anyone could react, pounced on the child and tried to drag him into the field.Hearing her cries, villagers rushed to the spot carrying sticks and clubs. Startled by the crowd and commotion, the leopard finally released the child and retreated toward the sugarcane fields.Eyewitnesses said she desperately pulled the child back while striking and wrestling with the animal, refusing to let go even as the leopard repeatedly clawed and attacked her.Umesh, a 26-year-old villager who was also injured by the leopard as it retreated toward the sugarcane fields, said, “For several minutes, it was a fight between a mother and a leopard. She did not step back even once.”Meena reportedly suffered injuries to her hands, legs, back, and head during the struggle. Mohit escaped with scratches and minor injuries.All three injured — Meena, Mohit and Umesh — were initially taken to the Primary Health Centre in Sujauli. After receiving first aid, they were referred to the Community Health Centre in Mihirpurwa for advanced treatment.The injured victims are being provided medical assistance and financial aid as per government norms, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Apoorv Dixit said, adding that, with approval from higher authorities, a cage is being installed in the area to trap the leopard.Receiving information about the attack, Forest Range Officer (FRO) Ashish Gaur arrived at the village with his team and launched surveillance operations in the area.Forest officials suspect the leopard may still be hiding in nearby sugarcane fields.DFO Dixit urged villagers to remain cautious and avoid venturing alone near fields or forest fringes, especially during early morning and evening hours. He said forest department teams are conducting awareness drives in villages around Katarniaghat to help reduce human-wildlife conflict in the region.The incident triggered fear across the village, with residents demanding immediate action from the forest department to capture the leopard before another attack.