Man casually strolls into the ER with a machete in his head after going out for fried chicken: ‘Main character energy’

A man in Mumbai, India, is recovering after surviving an attack that left a machete lodged in his skull, then calmly walking into a hospital while scrolling on his phone as if nothing had happened.

The victim, identified as Rohit Pawar, was attacked around 10:30 p.m. on May 2 near a fried chicken shop in Mumbai’s Mankhurd neighborhood, according to multiple reports. Police said the assault allegedly stemmed from a prior dispute involving local teenagers.

Video of the aftermath quickly spread across social media. The footage showed Pawar standing inside Mumbai’s Sion Hospital with the machete still embedded in the left side of his head while using his cellphone. Online commenters focused on his apparent calmness and the lack of urgency around him.

One viral reaction described the scene as “Main character energy,” while others questioned why hospital staff and bystanders appeared slow to intervene as Pawar waited for treatment.

Rohit Pawar Mumbai machete attack: What happened?

According to reports, Pawar initially left home to meet friends near a local fried chicken restaurant despite his father asking him not to go out that night. Authorities said three teenage suspects later confronted him. One allegedly struck him with the machete while the others punched and kicked him.

Doctors said Pawar’s survival came down to extraordinary luck. Dr. Batuk Diyora, head of neurosurgery at Sion Hospital, said the blade penetrated through skin, muscle, skull bone, and the membrane surrounding the brain, but narrowly missed critical brain regions responsible for speech and movement. Healthcare officials said Pawar remained conscious, coherent, and physically responsive throughout the ordeal. “As none of his main brain parts were hit, he was conscious,” Diyora told local media.

Doctors later removed the weapon during surgery. Reports said Pawar was placed under observation because physicians feared complications, including seizures, weakness, or speech impairment. Doctors have noted he remains at high risk for meningitis or brain infections due to the unsterile nature of the weapon.

What happened to the suspects?

Police said the three suspects were arrested or detained following the attack. Some reports indicated the suspects had been sent to a juvenile facility while the investigation continues.

The incident has also renewed debate about public safety and emergency healthcare conditions in Mumbai, India’s most populous city. Media coverage and social media reactions highlighted concerns over violent assaults involving knives and machetes, as well as overcrowded hospitals and delayed emergency response times.

The viral footage continues circulating online, with many viewers stunned less by the injury itself than by Pawar’s remarkably calm demeanor. In clip after clip, he appears unfazed and on his phone while a machete protrudes from his head as hospital visitors stare in disbelief.