Anganwadi Cook Saves 20 Children From Bee Attack, Gets Stung Repeatedly, Dies

In an act of courage and love, an Anganwadi cook from Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch district laid down her life to save the lives of nearly 20 children in Ranpur village.

The incident happened at the Anganwadi centre in Madavada Panchayat when a massive swarm of bees suddenly descended on children playing in the compound. At that very moment, Kanchan Bai Meghwal, the cook at the centre, without thinking about her own safety, grabbed tarpaulins and mats lying nearby. One by one, she wrapped the children, shielding them with her own body, and rushed them inside the centre. As she stood between the bees and the children, the swarm turned on her.

Hundreds of bees stung her. Still, she did not step back until the last child was safe.

By the time villagers rushed to help, Kanchan Bai had collapsed. Constable Kalunath and pilot Rajesh Rathore rushed her to the Community Health Centre, but doctors declared her dead on arrival. Her body bore countless bee stings, the proof of her bravery.

Kanchan Bai was more than an Anganwadi worker. She cooked midday meals for village children, was the president of the Jai Mata Di Self-Help Group, and was the sole pillar of her family. Her husband, Shivlal, is paralysed. She leaves behind a son and two daughters.

When her body reached Ranpur village after the post-mortem on Tuesday, villagers stood in silence, saluting a woman whose courage words cannot contain.

Fear still grips the village. A large beehive hangs from a tree near the Anganwadi centre, the same place where the village's only handpump is located. Residents have stopped fetching water, terrified of another attack. Villagers are demanding immediate removal of the beehive and financial assistance for Kanchan Bai's bereaved family.