Maharashtra: Ninth tiger attack in 13 days sparks fear in Chandrapur

NAGPUR: Human-wildlife conflict continues to escalate in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district after a 55-year-old man was mauled to death by a tiger on Thursday, raising the death toll from tiger attacks to nine within the last 13 days.

According to reports, the deceased, Bandu Parashuram Urade was a shepherd from Karvan village. Along with his nephew, he took his cattle for grazing near the buffer zone of Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve. A tiger emerged from the bushes, attacked and dragged him away. His nephew, Kishore Madhukar Urade, 35, was also attacked by the same tiger and escaped with serious injuries. He managed to return to the village and inform the locals about the attack. He was admitted to the local civil hospital and is in a serious condition.

The villagers along with the forest officials, went to the spot to search for Bandu. His body was found in Kosbi forest area near the buffer zone of Tadoba-Andheri tiger reserve.

This fatality adds to the growing wildlife-human conflict concern in the district. This is the ninth death in the region caused due to tiger attacks since May 10. The spike began with a single attack on May 10 that claimed three women’s lives and seriously injured one more woman near Mendha-Mal village in the Sindewahi Forest Range. Most victims were in the forest collecting tendu leaves.

Environmentalists say that the increasing frequency of such attacks is due to a rise in tiger population in the region and growing human encroachments of the forest land.

Wildlife enthusiast Mohan Kothekar has called for a review of ‘tendu leaf’ collection practices, improved compensation policies, and alternative livelihood options for forest-dependent communities.

Tadoba-Andhari tiger reserve in Chandrapur district has become a wildlife-human conflict zone. Established as a tiger project in 1996, the tiger reserve is home to over 130 tigers and various rare Indian animals, including leopards, wild dogs, hyenas, wild boars, sloth bears, and bison. Wildlife experts attribute this to overpopulation of big cats in limited forest space.

Local MLA Vijay Wadettiwar blamed the rising conflict on the high density of tigers in the region. He advocated for translocating some of the tigers to less populated areas to ease pressure on local communities.

Chief conservator of forests, Jitendra Ramgaonkar said forest personnel are patrolling vulnerable areas and urged villagers to avoid entering forests alone or during evening and night hours.