Tiger attacks bikers in Corbett, drags one into forest

After the incident, bike riders passing through the area have been asked to be alert on the highway, an official said, adding that patrolling has been intensified in the region.

UPDATE: Corbett tiger attack: Search for man dragged away still on, some remains found

After the incident, bike riders have been asked to be alert on the highway, officials said (AP FILE)

A tiger attacked two bike-borne men and dragged one of them deep into the forests near the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand’s Almora district, forest officials said on Sunday.

The incident took place in Mohan area of the district on Saturday night when 25-year-old Afsarul, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha district, along with his friend Mohammad Anas, was returning home after visiting Almora, said Virendra Pandey, forest beat officer, Mohan.

“When they reached Mohan area of Kosi range under Ramnagar forest division, a tiger hiding in the bushes attacked them and dragged Afsarul into nearby forests,” Pandey said, adding that Anas approached Mohan police outpost and alert the officials.

“Corbett staff along with Ramnagar police station in-charge Arun Saini rushed to the spot along with the police force. A search was started to track Afsarul,” he said. “Traces of blood have been found from the spot. The tiger has taken the man towards the Kosi river.”

After the incident, bike riders have been asked to be alert on the highway, Pandey said, adding that patrolling has been intensified in the area.

Three teams of the forest department are searching for Afsarul and three JCB machines have been being used to make way in the dense forest, said Chandrashekhar Joshi, divisional forest officer, Ramnagar. “Camera traps have been set up in the area. So far, the teams have not been able to locate the man or the tiger,” he said.

Recalling the incident, Anas said he could not initially see the tiger, which was hiding, due to darkness. “Out of nowhere, it suddenly pounced on us. For a moment I could not understand what had happened,” he said. “The tiger caught hold of Afsarul and dragged him towards the forests. I was shocked, but somehow I drove to the police outpost to inform them about the incident.”

Soon after the incident, residents of the nearby villages along with former Uttarakhand chief minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat blocked the national highway passing through Mohan for some time. Rawat urged the forest department to catch the tiger immediately.

“The villagers are very angry as this is the second such incident. There are four tigers in the area and local residents are feeling very insecure,” Rawat said, adding after talking with senior officers he asked villagers to end the blockade.

According to the last tiger census, Corbett Tiger Reserve has the highest tiger density among India’s 50 reserves, with 14 tigers living in each 100 sq km area.