E-Paper
Farmer mauled to death by tiger in Katarniaghat Sanctuary
A 21-year-old farmer was killed by a tiger in Bahraich district, raising fears among villagers and prompting warnings from forest officials about safety.
: A 21-year-old farmer was mauled to death by a tiger in the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) along the Indo-Nepal border in Bahraich district on Sunday evening. The incident took place near the Saryu Canal Bridge at Mukhiya Farm, spreading panic among nearby villagers.
The victim, Sanjeet Kumar, a resident of Rampurwa Mukhiya Farm under the Sujauli Range, was weeding a turmeric field when a tiger suddenly emerged from the forest and attacked him. Locals rushed to help but he had already suffered fatal injuries.
SHO Sujauli Prakash Chandra Sharma and Ranger Rohit Kumar reached the spot, recovered the body, and began an investigation. The body was sent for post-mortem examination.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Suraj said Sanjeet had likely gone near the siphon area number 13 to collect grass, which is a known habitat for tigers, elephants, and rhinos. He added that tiger activity has been frequent in the area and warned villagers not to enter the protected forest zone, where grass cutting and wood collection are strictly prohibited. Forest officials have started awareness drives in nearby villages, urging residents to stay away from forested areas to avoid human-wildlife conflict.
Earlier, on October 24, a 40-year-old woman, Quraisha Bano, was seriously injured in a tiger attack in Harkhapur village under the Dharmapur Range. The recent attacks have created fear in Sujauli and Dharmapur areas.
Villagers claim that two to three tigers have been seen near fields and homes, and allege that no effective measures have been taken by the forest department. Sanjeet’s death has left his family heartbroken, and villagers now fear working in fields close to the forest, as tiger roars continue to be heard nearby.
