54-year-old tribal man killed in tiger attack at Bandipur reserve

This incident has raised concerns about the increasing number of tiger attacks in the region, prompting villagers to demand immediate action

A 54-year-old tribal man was killed in a tiger attack at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Gundlupet in Chamarajanagara district, officials said on Tuesday.

The tribal man was attacked by the tiger when he had gone to forests in Bandipur reserve to gather fodder for his sheep, officials said (HT Archives (For representation))

The incident came to light on Tuesday after the partially eaten body of the man, identified as Basavaiah (officials gave his first name) from Adina Kanive village, was found. Basavaiah had gone to forests to gather fodder for his sheep, officials said.

“Basavaiah, a tribal, was killed by a tiger. I visited the spot and verified that it was indeed a tiger. The incident occurred on Sunday, and the mutilated body was sent to Gundlupet government hospital for autopsy,” said AB Ramesh Kumar, director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

“Basavaiah was collecting grass in the forest near Adina Valley in Kundukere range of Bandipur. As he stood at the foot of a tree, a tiger emerged and attacked him. The big cat dragged him away and devoured a significant portion of his body,” Ramesh Kumar said.

Basavaiah’s family had filed a complaint with police and forest officials on Monday, after which a joint search operation was launched and Basavaiah’s body was found around 11 am on Tuesday, officials said.

This incident has raised concerns about the increasing number of tiger attacks in the region, prompting villagers to demand immediate action. They demanded that authorities construct a solar fence and a ditch around the forest perimeter to prevent tigers from entering villages. They sought a compensation of ₹15 lakh for Basavaiah’s family and a government job for one of his dependents.

Villagers residing near the forests have urged the officials to curb animal movements near the villages.

Mysuru and Chamarajanagara districts have witnessed an increase in man-animal conflicts in recent months. On November 24, a tiger killed a 52-year-old woman in Ballurhundi village in Nanjanagudu taluk, triggering protests by villagers. The tiger was later captured and shifted to the animal rehabilitation centre at Mysuru Zoo in Koorgalli.