Did a Tigress Claim a Woman's Life Near Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve?

Bhopal, June 6 (NationPress) In a heartbreaking event, a woman tragically lost her life after a tigress attacked her near the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria, Madhya Pradesh on Friday, according to officials.

The attack took place in the Manpur buffer zone, leading to her instant demise.

The deceased has been identified as Galli Bai Yadav, a 40-year-old resident of Rakhi village, who had stepped outside to relieve herself near a drain when the tigress, concealed in the underbrush, launched a surprise attack from behind.

This incident is not isolated; just four days prior, a bear severely injured a young man gathering firewood, who is now receiving care at the Shahdol government hospital.

In a statement to IANS, L. Krishnamoorthy, the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, labeled the incident as unfortunate but indicated that there are currently no plans to relocate the tigress from the region.

"This marks the first reported incident in Rakhi village... this area is quite distant from previous sites. No plans to shift the tigress now," he stated.

An officer from Manpur noted that Rakhi village is situated roughly one-and-a-half kilometers from the core zone of the reserve, which increases the likelihood of wildlife encounters. He further mentioned that the tigress jumped over the woman, leading to her death. Since there were no visible injuries, it appears the tigress did not intend to hunt.

The woman’s remains were transported to the Community Health Centre in Manpur for a post-mortem. Her family has been provided with an immediate financial aid of Rs 10,000, with additional compensation to follow as per government guidelines.

This tragic occurrence also highlights ongoing issues regarding sanitation in the district. Authorities maintain that toilets have been constructed in every household, and the district is nearing Open Defecation-Free status. Nonetheless, a significant number of villagers continue to practice open defecation, whether due to habit or the unavailability of usable facilities. This discrepancy between official claims and ground reality has resulted in perilous encounters with wildlife. The recent tiger attack is part of a troubling trend of deadly wildlife interactions in Umaria over the last two months.

On April 12, a tiger attacked a 14-year-old boy named Vijay in the Dhamokhar forest area, with his body later discovered in a drain. On April 2, Rani Singh, a 25-year-old woman from Kothiya village in the Chansura beat of the Panpatha core area, was collecting mahua when she was fatally attacked by a tiger. On March 23, a 50-year-old shepherd grazing cattle in the Uttar Paljha beat of the Panpatha buffer zone was also killed by a tigress.