TIGER TERROR IN UP’S LAKHIMPUR KHERI

Tiger terror rules half-a-dozen villages around Mailani forest range along the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border after seven people were mauled to death in the region since February. Forest officials could not confirm if one or more tigers were attacking villagers, but they ruled out chances of the predator being a maneater as all the victims were left behind.“The aim now is to tranquillise, catch and release the animal back in the forests,” said an official.

LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Tiger terror rules half-a-dozen villages around Mailani forest range along the Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand border after seven people were mauled to death in the region since February.

Forest officials could not confirm if one or more tigers were attacking villagers, but they ruled out chances of the predator being a maneater as all the victims were left behind.

“The primary aim now is to tranquillise, catch and release the animal back in the forests,” Lucknow division chief conservator of forests Eva Sharma said. Foresters on foot and on elephant-back were scouring the dense forests to trace and trap the killer tiger, after a 58-year-old villager, Baburam of Chhedipur, was killed on Saturday. The mutilated body was recovered late at night. More trackers were pressed into the tiger’s trail as Baburam became the third casualty in five days since August 15.

South Kheri divisional forest officer Sanjay Biswal said on Monday wild animals have ventured out of the forest for safety and food after heavy monsoon rain flooded large pockets of Mailani range. This has increased the risk of mananimal conflicts.

“The presence of a tiger and a tigress was reported in the area. But it is hard to say if both or one of them is involved in the attacks,” he said.Located close to Dudhwa national park and tiger reserve at the Himalayan foothills, the predators sometimes stray into human habitation on the fringes of Mailani range in Lakhimpur Kheri district.

A 50km-corridor separates Dudhwa and Mailani, which serves as a buffer zone for Kishanpur sanctuary of the tiger reserve. Dudhwa and Kishanpur collectively have more than 150 tigers; hugely territorial and solitary animals that prowl a large area for prey.