Demented jackal attacks devotees inside temple severely injuring 3, India

Indian jackal

Devotees sleeping inside the dargah Shehdana Wali got the scare of their life when a jackal entered the premises late on Wednesday and attacked three youths, injuring them severely.

The animal seemed to have gone berserk as it first bit into a youth's legs and clawed at him. As the devotees tried to save him and themselves, the jackal attacked two other youths - 19-year-old Faiz and Arif (24). The duo, along with 25-year-old Farman Ali, was admitted to the district hospital by locals.

After more than an hour of struggle, a few devotees managed to put a blanket on the animal and capture it after which they beat it up. They then took it to the Baradari police station, where cops also allegedly beat up the animal and asked locals to take it back.

The poor animal would have most likely died had it not been for the timely intervention of a team of People for Animals, which got him admitted to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute.

As per reports, more than 200 devotees were sleeping in the courtyard of the dargah, located in the heart of the city, when the jackal attacked the youths. Farman, a resident of Bukharpura area in the old city, was the first to be attacked. He sustained severe injuries. The locals admitted Ali and the other two youths to the district hospital.

Devotees present at shrine at the time of the incident said panic spread after the animal went on a rampage. "Locals were running from one place to another to save their lives. After struggling for more than an hour, some of us put a blanket on the jackal and nabbed him," said Feroz Ali alias Guddu, who lives next to the shrine.

After trapping the animal, angry locals reportedly thrashed it badly. "The animal was tied with a chain and taken to Baradari police station where two constables again thrashed it. The animal's condition deteriorated and he became unconscious, after which police asked us to take him back to shrine fearing that it would die soon," said Abdul Wajid Khan Noori, manager of the shrine.

After bringing it back to the shrine, locals tied it with a rope, chain and dupattas and put a lock on its neck. However, a team of People for Animals reached the spot after getting information from TOI. "If we were late by even 15 minutes, the jackal would have been died as it was in a very poor condition. Despite opposition from locals, we took it to IVRI for treatment. The animal regained consciousness on Wednesday noon," said Dheeraj Pathak, rescue chief, People for Animals.

Divisional forest officer (DFO) Dharam Singh Yadav said, "The forest team and People for Animals together took the jackal to IVRI for treatment. After doctors say its condition is stable, we will release him deep into the forest."

When contacted, Inspector, Baradari police station, RK Singh said, "The constables and other policemen did not attack the animal. We informed the forest department officials, who later took it for treatment."