A young man was caught on camera looking surprisingly relaxed as he waited in a hospital with a machete lodged in his head.
Footage shows bystanders staring in disbelief as he calmly used his phone, with the large blade protruding from the side of his skull.
Authorities in Mumbai, India, said the man was brought to the casualty department of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital in the early hours of Saturday (2 May).
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He had allegedly been attacked with a type of billhook machete known locally as a koita, commonly used for tasks such as opening coconuts, clearing vegetation or cutting wood.
According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), he was conscious, alert, and showed no neurological deficit at the time of admission.
The man, named only as Isma in reports, was later transferred to the trauma ICU for further assessment.
Scans revealed the blade had penetrated the left side of his skull and gone nearly 1.5 inches into his brain.
A neurosurgical team led by Dr Batuk Diora carried out an emergency operation under anaesthetic and successfully removed the blade.
In a statement on Monday (4 May), the BMC said: “The operation was successful, and the patient is currently conscious and undergoing treatment in the trauma ICU.
“His condition is stable and showing signs of steady improvement.”
Koitas typically measure three to six feet in length, as reported by Need To Know.
They are also commonly seen in South Indian films, where characters often keep them concealed and dramatically produce them in fight scenes.
In India’s Maharashtra state, koita gangs are reported to have a notorious reputation.
Local media made no mention of any arrests in connection with the alleged attack at the time of the latest update.
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