Balaghat:
A woman in her 30s died after being attacked by a tiger in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.
The incident occurred at Parrapur Baigatola village, under the Khapa range of the Kanha National Park, they said.
According to villagers, Sugni Bai Dhurve was sleeping in a hut when a big cat entered the village, about 80 km from the district headquarters, around 1.30 am, grabbed her by the head and dragged her away.
Hearing the family’s cries for help, locals rushed to the spot with torches. The tiger dragged the woman for about 300 metres before abandoning her and disappearing into the forest, they said.
The woman, who had suffered grievous head injuries, was taken to a hospital in Baihar, where she succumbed, Block Medical Officer Dr Anant Lilhare said.
Assistant Director of the Sijhora Buffer Zone Ashish Pandey confirmed the incident and said a detailed report would be prepared after the inquiry.
Police said a case of accidental death has been registered, and further investigation is underway.
Forest officials said the village has witnessed several instances of tigers and leopards venturing into human habitations in recent months.
They also said that the victim’s family would be provided with financial assistance as per government norms.
The forest department said it would install a cage in the area, intensify patrolling, and urged residents to keep their house doors shut at night, avoid venturing into the forest, and not leave children and elderly persons unattended.
Local representatives claimed the woman’s family lives in a hut without a door. They alleged that it has not benefited from a central government scheme focusing on the socio-economic development of the most backward and vulnerable tribal groups of the country.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
