Maharashtra: Tigress ordered to be captured kills woman in Chandrapur district

Three people were injured in tiger attack in Bhandara district on Saturday.

After dodging forest officials for around two weeks, a sub-adult tigress N-1 claimed the third victim Friday in Chandrapur district. The victim, identified as Varsha Jibhkate of Tulanmendha village in North Bramhpuri range, was attacked when she had gone to collect firewood, forest officials said.

Chandrapur Chief Conservator of Forest Rama Rao said a team of forest officials was trying to locate the tigress ever since a capture order was issued on January 10, but had not been able to locate it. “Trap camera photos from the spot of Friday’s incident confirmed that it is the same animal that had killed two persons earlier on November 14 and December 24 last year,” he said.

Rao said orders have been also issued to capture two other tigers venturing “dangerously close” to areas on the outskirts of Chandrapur city on the same day. “But our teams have not got their locations yet,” Rao added.

Meanwhile, three persons were injured in Binakhi Mahagao area of Tumsar tehsil in Bhandara district Saturday when a mob allegedly chased a tiger. The animal, believed to have dispersed from Kanha-Pench corridor, was noticed walking through agriculture fields in the area for the past few days. Videos of people chasing the tiger and the animal attacking a man later have gone went viral on social media.