52-YEAR-OLD MAN KILLED BY TIGER IN DUDHWA BUFFER ZONE

LAKHIMPUR KHERI: Asha Ram, 52, a resident of Datpur village under Mailani police limits, was killed by a tiger near Bharigawan beat of Mailani range forests under Dudhwa buffer zone.

Asha Ram’s partially eaten body was recovered from an area near Katra ghat, close to the reserve forest, on Wednesday.

The deceased was reported missing since Monday afternoon when he had gone to the fields on his bicycle to collect fodder for his domestic animals.

Mailani range forest officials and Sansarpur police outpost in-charge Pravin Kumar rushed the spot.

Dr Anil Kumar Patel, deputy director of Dudhwa buffer zone, confirmed that Asha Ram was killed by a tiger.

Pug-marks detected on the spot and nature of attack indicates a tiger attack, said Patel. He added that the area was known for the movement of big cats, and appropriate action would be taken in this case. The body was sent for a postmortem examination.

As per reports, Asha Ram had gone to the fields on Monday afternoon on his bicycle to collect fodder for his domestic animals.

However, when Asha Ram did not return till late in the evening, his family members started looking for him in the neighbouring areas but to no avail.

On Tuesday, his bicycle with a bundle of grass was recovered around 4 km south of his village.

The family members searched for him in that area which is close to the Mailani range forest and where the movement of big cats is a routine affair.

On Wednesday, Asha Ram’s partially eaten body, with deep injuries on the head, face and abdominal area, was recovered from a field.