Snatched by Monkey From Mother's Lap, Thrown Into Well: 20-Day-Old Baby Cheats Death in Chhattisgarh

A 20-day-old newborn girl cheated death after being snatched from her mother’s arms by a monkey and thrown into an open well in Sevni village of Chhattisgarh’s Janjgir–Champa district. Locals are calling the infant’s survival nothing short of a miracle.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday when the baby’s mother, Sunita Rathore, was sitting on the porch of her home, cradling her child. Family members said four to five monkeys were leaping across a nearby terrace when one suddenly sprang forward, grabbed the newborn and sprinted onto the rooftop, triggering panic.

As horrified relatives screamed for help and burst firecrackers to scare the animal, the monkey flung the infant into a neighbouring open well. Villagers rushed to the spot and lowered a bucket into the well. Within minutes, the baby was pulled out, unconscious but alive.

Though the infant had swallowed water, she did not sink completely. Her father, Arvind Rathore, believes the diaper she was wearing played a crucial role in keeping her afloat.

Rajeshwari Rathore, a nurse posted at the Sargawan primary health centre, happened to be in the village to attend a Bhagwat Katha. She rushed to the scene, cleared water from the baby’s mouth, administered CPR and warmed her body. Moments later, the newborn began crying.

The baby was first rushed to the district hospital and later shifted to the ICU of a private hospital, where doctors said her condition is stable and improving.

Baby’s father Arvind Rathore, who works at a power plant and was on duty when the incident occurred, credited his daughter’s survival to perfect timing and quick medical intervention. "If my daughter is alive today, it is because a nurse was present at that exact moment — and because of the diaper she was wearing," he said.

He also expressed concern over the rising presence of wild animals in residential rural areas, drawn by orchards and crops, warning that such encounters are increasingly endangering children and families.