Tiger kills 45-year-old man in Dudhwa buffer zone; 2nd such death within a fortnight
The attack took place in the Maheshpur range of the south Kheri forest division. The tiger, responsible for the attack, vanished into the nearby sugarcane fields.
Lakhimpur Kheri: Just two weeks after a tiger claimed the life of a 30-year-old in the Dudhwa buffer zone, another such attack has triggered panic in the region. Rajesh Kumar, a 45-year-old resident of Belwa village, fell victim to a tiger near a sugarcane field on Monday morning. The incident took place under the jurisdiction of the Hyderabad police limits.
The attack took place in the Maheshpur range of the south Kheri forest division. The tiger, responsible for the attack, vanished into the nearby sugarcane fields. Reports indicate that Rajesh Kumar had ventured to the outskirts of the village on Monday morning to attend nature’s call. When he did not return after long, his family launched a search for him, only to discover his body with severe bite injuries around his neck.
Sanjay Biswal, the divisional forest officer (DFO) for the south Kheri forest division, promptly arrived at the scene after reports of the human-animal conflict. Confirming the tragic incident, he stated that the big cat was identified as a tiger through the analysis of paw prints.
According to Biswal, the circumstances suggest that the deceased came directly in the path of the tiger, resulting in the unfortunate fatality. Notably, the tiger did not attempt to consume the body, leaving the scene after the attack.
Given the proximity of the agricultural area to a canal, facilitating safe movement for big cats, patrols have been intensified. Additionally, surveillance cameras have been deployed to track the tiger’s movements. Biswal assured that support and assistance would be extended to the grieving family in accordance with regulations.