This story is from July 26, 2019

Tigress beaten to death by villagers in Pilibhit

Tigress beaten to death by villagers in Pilibhit
The tigress had injured nine persons on Wednesday
PILIBHIT: In a huge embarrassment to Pilibhit tiger reserve (PTR) authorities, an adult tigress that had injured nine people in Mataina village in Pilibhit district on Wednesday afternoon was trapped and brutally beaten to death by angry villagers on Thursday. The killing came even as a team of forest officials was stationed close-by. The villagers didn’t let the injured tigress be taken to hospital.
It succumbed to severe injuries a few hours later. An FIR has been lodged against 31 identified and 12 unknown people.
The autopsy conducted by a panel of three veterinarians ascertained that the tigress “died of injuries” inflicted upon her by the villagers. Pilibhit district magistrate Vaibhav Shrivastav said, “Some of the attackers have been identified, while efforts are on to identify others.”
The DM has also ordered a magisterial inquiry to probe the role of forest officials in protecting the life of tigress.
According to PTR field director H Rajamohan, “The tigress’ age was assessed between 5 and 6 years. It had sustained fractures and injuries by sharp-edged weapons like spears on almost every part of its body. The big cat had broken ribs. The tigress was cremated after the autopsy.”
According to eyewitnesses who refused to be identified, the tigress had injured nine persons on Wednesday. After it attacked 19-year-old villager Shyam Mohan on Thursday, the big cat was surrounded by villagers armed with lathis and spears and brutally assaulted.
Former filed director of Dudhwa tiger reserve GC Mishra said, “The tigress could have been rescued and given timely medical aid as the forest officials had reached the spot. But their inability to rescue the injured big cat in a span of over 9 hours undoubtedly projects their inability to protect wildlife in adverse situations.”
“I have marked a magisterial inquiry to ADM (finance and revenue) Atul Singh, who will probe whether sincere efforts were actually made at the spot by forest officials to rescue and save the life of injured tigress,” DM Vaibhav Shrivastav said.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA