A 30-year-old was killed after being attacked by a tiger in MP’s Balaghat district in the early hours of Sunday, an official said. The incident took place at Padrapur Baigatola village under the Khapa range of Kanha National Park.
According to the villagers, the deceased identified as Sugni Bai Dhurve aas asleep when the feline entered the village midnight on Saturday. Seeing the asleep woman as his prey, he grabbed her by the head and dragged her away. Hearing the family’s cry for help, locals rushed to the spot, finding the woman being dragged by a tiger for about 300 meters before abandoning her and disappearing into the forest. The woman had suffered grevious head injuries and was taken to the hospital in Baihar where she succumbed, Block Medical Officer Dr. Anand Lilhare said.
A case under accidental death has been registered, and a detailed inquiry into the incident has been initiated, as said by Assistant Director of Singhora buffer zone, Ashish Pandey. An ex-gratia has been announced to the victim’s family as per government norms. Further, the forest department has said that it will install a cage in the area, intensify patrol, and urge residents to keep their doors locked at the night to avoid wild animanls venturing into their homes.