Tigers kill 2 women, one each in Chanda, Gadchiroli

CHANDRAPUR: A daily wager woman working on fireline in core zone of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) was killed on Thursday morning while a woman was killed in Gadchiroli forest range on Wednesday afternoon.
Official sources informed that deceased Vidya Waghade (36) from Bamangaon, a buffer village, was hired for the fireline work in core zone along with nearly three dozen labourers.She was busy clearing the shrubs on fireline in compartment no. 71 under Kolara range of the park in the morning, when incident took place. Other labourers were not too far away from her, but the attack was swift and the woman was killed on the spot before others could help.
CCF and field director, TATR, Jitendra Ramgaonkar, claimed it is very rare incident when any forest labourer was killed in tiger attack.
Sources claimed that usually predators avoid group of people, but the victim might have ambled away from others and fallen prey to the tiger. Ramgaonkar has directed the labourers to work in groups to avoid such incidents in future.
Officials have released her body for funeral after post mortem formalities and paid ex gratia aid to her family.
Ramgaonkar claimed Waghade’s kin will get compensation as per government norms.
In yet another incident, one Sudha Chimlawar (58) from Gadchiroli was killed in compartment no. 174 in Gadchiroli forest range close to the town.
Chimalwar along with others had gone to collect firewood when the attack took place. A tiger, during the afternoon hours, leapt on the woman and dragged her to some distance and killed her. The panicked fellow women fled away shouting for help. After they informed forest officials, a team of foresters led by ACF Sonal Bhadke and RFO DV Kaikule rushed to the spot. Investigation at the spot has confirmed that the woman was killed in tiger attack.
Predators have killed 31 people in Chandrapur this year. Out of these, 24 were killed by tigers, six by leopards and one was killed in wild boar attack. Four people have been killed in predator attacks in Gadchiroli this year. Three of them have been killed by tigers, while one was killed by leopard.