The UP Forest Department deputed a forest guard, Abhishek Singh, to remain with Raju Babu's family and assist with all necessary arrangements during his treatment in Lucknow. (Credit: UP Forest Department)A 10-year-old boy who sustained severe facial injuries in a leopard attack in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich— including the tearing of his left eyelid—is now expected to retain vision in the affected eye following reconstructive surgery.The child’s family had feared he might suffer permanent blindness. However, doctors at King George’s Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow carried out a complex procedure on Thursday evening and expressed confidence that his eyesight can be preserved.Raju Babu, 10, was injured in a leopard attack on the morning of April 7 in Rajapur village, situated along the edge of the reserve forest in the Motipur range of Katerniaghat. The Class 5 student had been playing outside his home at around 10 am when a leopard emerged from the adjoining forest and attacked him.Panicked, the other children fled, raising an alarm. As the animal attacked the boy, villagers working in nearby fields, alerted by the commotion and the child’s cries, rushed toward the scene. This forced the leopard to retreat, leaving the child gravely injured.The boy was initially taken to a nearby community health centre and later referred to the district hospital. Doctors treated multiple injuries, including wounds to his head and left eye, before referring him to a specialised medical facility in Lucknow for advanced care.Following the incident, Apoorva Dixit, Divisional Forest Officer, Katerniaghat, promptly coordinated with doctors at KGMU to ensure immediate treatment for the child. The Forest Department also deputed a forest guard, Abhishek Singh, to remain with the family and assist with all necessary arrangements during the boy’s treatment in Lucknow.“It was a complex procedure, and our primary aim was to preserve the child’s eye,” said Professor Vijay Kumar, head of the plastic surgery department. “Story continues below this ad“We repaired the eyelid in three layers — first the conjunctiva, followed by the septum, and then the skin. Had the eyelid not been reconstructed, there was a significant risk of damage to the eye, as the cornea could have been left exposed. The operation was successful,” he added.Sangeeta Devi, 33, is a relieved mother. “Before coming to Lucknow, we feared our son might never regain sight in his injured eye. People in the village told us he would have to live with vision in only one eye, and that was deeply distressing,” she said. “After forest officials assured us of their support, we found hope—hope that he would receive proper treatment and that his vision could be restored.”Accompanied by her husband, Kamla Prasad, a farmer, Devi has remained by her son’s side in Lucknow throughout his treatment. Raju is the second of her four children.When contacted, Dixit said the department had made every effort to support the child and his family to help preserve his vision.