Twitter hails 'braveheart' mother who jumped on a leopard to save her son

A woman in Mumbai is being hailed a hero on Twitter after reportedly jumping on a leopard to rescue her little son from its claws. The incident is believed to have taken place in northern Mumbai in an area bordering a forest-park.

The animal leaped out of a dense thicket at around 9pm local time. “I started yelling for help, and ran towards my child to grab him. On seeing me approach, the leopard made a dash for the bushes,” the mother recalled.

Residents have blamed local authorities for not installing streetlights in the area. The mother, however, managed to avert any serious injuries to her three-year-old. He was given three stitches at a local hospital.

The incident has put the spotlight back on human-animal conflicts in India's tribal and forest zones. Last month, a BBC documentary attracted controversy after highlighting the issue. It led to India banning the broadcaster from filming in its tiger reserves.

Twitter users have "saluted" the mother for her "courageous" deed. "Only a mother can do this" was the over-riding theme:

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Mothers are a special breed indeed!