Maharashtra: 2 villagers in Chandrapur killed in tiger attacks over last 2 days

As many as 13 people from the district have fallen prey to tigers since January this yea; the figure was 53 last year

Two people have died in tiger attacks in separate incidents over the last two days in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur. The first incident took place on Wednesday when Devta Jiwan Chanfane (47) was mauled by the big cat near Akapur village in Nagbhid tehsil of Bramhapuri forest division when the person had to work on the farm.

Representational image. (HT File Photo)

The tiger then dragged her body deep into the forest. When Devta did not return home till late in the evening, her family members and villagers took out a search party, according to state wildlife officials.

On getting information, a team of forest personnel too joined the search and traced Devta’s mutilated body by tracking the pugmarks. Forest officials have provided ₹25,000 ex-gratia to the kin of the victim. Foresters have increased patrolling and issued warnings to the villagers about the presence of a tiger in the area.

Range Forest Officer (RFO) of the area Vishal Salkar informed that the body of the woman was sent for post-mortem. “We are taking all necessary measures to avoid such an incident in the area in near future,” he said.

Earlier, a tiger had killed one Ishwar Kumbhare (45) from Sawargaon village in Boldha forest in the same division on Tuesday. Forest officials, however, denied the involvement of the same tiger in the killings and maintained that the two areas are far from each other.

Kumbhare was attacked while he was working in the field, triggering panic in Chimur area of the district.

Upon hearing his wife’s cries for help, villagers gathered at the scene and immediately informed the forest department. The forest department staff promptly arrived and launched a search operation. Tragically, the lifeless body of Ishwar was discovered at some distance from the farm.

As many as 13 people from the district have fallen prey to tigers since January this yea; the figure was 53 last year.