E-Paper
Man killed in big cat attack in Dudhwa Reserve forest area
It could not be ascertained if the big cat was a leopard or a tiger as the movement of both is common in the area
Lakhimpur Kheri
A 30-year-old man died in a big cat attack on Tuesday when he was grazing his cattle near Katarniaghat forests under the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR).
Harmesh Singh, a resident of Nayapind village under Tikunia kotwali limits, was rushed first to the neighbouring Nighasan health centre, and later, to the Lakhimpur Kheri district hospital in a critical condition, but he succumbed to his injuries while on way to the hospital.
It could not be ascertained if the big cat was a leopard or a tiger as the movement of both is common in the area, which connects Dudhwa buffer zone forests with Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (KWS) forests (both being a part of DTR).
The villagers who rescued the youth described the big cat to be a tiger.
Sundaresh (known by a single name), deputy field director, Dudhwa buffer zone (also a part of DTR), said, “The unfortunate incident took place when the man entered the neighbouring KWS, where the big cat attacked him and left him critically injured.”
Sundaresh said Nayapind village, close to KWS, was located on encroached land and villagers had been warned several times to keep away from entering the forests to avoid human-animal conflict.
He added that monitoring and patrolling in the area had been intensified. He also advised the villagers again to avoid entering the forests.
Several incidents of attacks by big cats have been reported in the area since March 27 following which Dudhwa buffer zone authorities have stepped up monitoring in the area, installing cameras at vital places to keep a watch on the movements of big cats.
