Tigress kills man near Pilibhit reserve, tranquilized
LUCKNOW: A 35-year-old man was mauled to death by a tigress near Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR) in Pilibhit on Monday night. The incident enraged locals who attacked a team of forest guards and set ablaze a picket, said officials.
The same tigress is also believed to have injured two brothers in another attack on Sunday.
“A young tigress of PTR strayed out of the forest area and attacked one Subendu Vishwas, a resident of Goyal Colony located near Mala range of PTR. The man died on the spot. The tigress is believed to be behind another attack on two brothers in the same area,” said director Naveen Khandelwal, deputy director, PTR.
By late evening, the team of five veterinary experts and forest department staff managed to tranquilize the tigress.“It is currently under captivity and will be shifted to a zoo soon,” said an official. The injured brothers are still in the hospital recovering from their injuries. Minutes before the tigress attacked him, Subendu was sitting with his friends beside a road which lead to Goyal Colony. The tigress injured his face, neck and abdomen in the attack.
Subendu’s relatives and other residents of the colony got enraged by the incident and attacked a team of forest department that reached the spot.
The mob later set ablaze a picket of forest department demanding monetary compensation for the kin of the deceased.
The forest department had to call the local police to contain the situation.“Some locals got very angry by the incident. We are trying to speak with them about the issues and resolve the matter amicably,” said a PTR official.
The forest and local district administration has also assured to provide financial support to Subendu’s family.
According to experts, PTR has a very thin buffer zone that allows both animals and humans to cross over into each other’s territories. This leads to man-animal conflict. Over 25 people have been killed because of this conflict since 2017.
FOREST AND LOCAL ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO ASSURED TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE DECEASED’S FAMILY