Bhopal: Tiger kills youth in Bandhavgarh Reserve, Rs 8 lakh compensation announced

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A 22-year-old man was mauled to death by a tiger in a buffer zone of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district, an official said on Sunday.

The authorities of Tiger Reserve have decided to give compensation amount of Rs 8 lakh to the family of deceased.

The Field Director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve Rajiv Mishra told Free Press that youth Anuj Baiga, aged between 20 -25 years, had come to the house of a relative in Machketa village. After having dinner, he went to answer nature’s call near Chamkui drain when the tiger, apparently hiding in the bushes nearby, attacked him, the official said. The big cat ate a portion of deceased’s head and back.

The incident took place between 8 pm and 9 pm on Saturday at Kumbhai village in Manpur buffer zone of the reserve, Manpur police station incharge Sundresh Singh Maravi said.

When locals ventured out of their houses at around 5 am on Sunday, they found the man's body near the drain and informed the police and forest department.

Forest officials reached the spot and are conducting an investigation into the incident, he said.

In the meantime, four elephants have been deployed to locate the tiger and trying to monitor its movement. It is learnt that villagers were angry after the incident. They are demanding that tigers roaming near the villages should be shifted elsewhere.