Beed: A 38-year-old farmer was mauled to death by a tiger while collecting fodder for his cattle near Deolali in Ashti tehsil on Saturday morning, triggering panic among residents of neighbouring villages. Following the incident, Ashti MLA Suresh Dhas directed senior forest department officials to immediately track, rescue and capture the big cat to ensure the safety of villagers and farmers.
The deceased has been identified as Devidas, alias Pintu Manik Takale, a resident of Takale Vasti near Deolali (Panachi). According to local residents, Takale had gone to the nearby Sonipathar hillock around 8.30am to collect fodder for his cattle. While he was cutting grass, the tiger attacked him from behind, inflicting fatal injuries to his neck and torso before dragging his body nearly 500 metres into the dense scrubland.
The incident came to light when Takale's son reached the hillock shortly afterwards to help carry the fodder home. He noticed pools of blood and drag marks leading deeper into the scrubland. Alarmed by the sight, he rushed back to alert villagers.
Armed with sticks and axes, a group of villagers hurried to the spot. Hearing the approaching crowd, the tiger abandoned the body and disappeared into the dense undergrowth. The villagers subsequently found Takale dead with severe injuries caused by the attack.
The incident follows a series of recent attacks in the region. Earlier, another farmer, Rajendra Golhar, was killed by the same big cat, while a horse was also killed in the nearby Sautada area. Fresh sightings and movements of the tiger have been reported from the Pimpalgaon Dhas vicinity, adding to the fear among local residents.
Forest officials said a tiger had been captured on camera traps near Bhurewadi, along the Patoda-Ashti border, just last week. A specialised tracking team led by Ashti Range Forest Officer (RFO) Amol Munde, along with foresters Dattatraya Jaybhaye, Laxman Tagad and Ashok Kale, cordoned off the area to collect evidence.
"Our team is at the spot securing pugmarks, claw scratches, and hair strands for scientific verification," RFO Amol Munde said. "In the meantime, we strongly urge villagers and farmers to stay clear of forested fringes and hilly tracts until combing operations are completed."
Taking serious note of the situation, MLA Dhas spoke with senior forest department officials in Nagpur and urged them to intensify tracking operations. He called for round-the-clock camera traps and demanded that cage-and-rescue measures be launched on a war footing to capture the tiger before more lives are lost.
Dhas also appealed to residents across the Daulawadgaon Zilla Parishad circle and the Daulawadgaon and Deolali Panchayat Samiti segments to remain vigilant and avoid venturing into vulnerable areas. He said he was coordinating with state authorities to ensure immediate ex gratia compensation and full support for the bereaved family of Devidas Takale.
