LUCKNOW: A man was injured by a tiger in Mailani range of South Kheri forest division early on Sunday morning. Forest officials could not locate the pugmarks as area is flooded due to rains. It was also not confirmed whether it was the same tiger which has taken eight lives since May this year.
The injured was identified as Rambhajan, a resident of Kuriyani village of Mailani range. He had a chance encounter with the tiger when he was going to his fields in the morning. The man was admitted to the local hospital and given medical aid.
Kuriyani is a village in South kheri forest division. It is about 10 km from Saraiyan village of Khutar range in Shahjahanpur where tiger was spotted on Saturday night, around 9, by locals. The forest staff had reached the spot but could not locate the pugmarks due to flooding in the area. The search operation was carried out near Kuriyani on Sunday morning. In the evening, tracking team resumed operation in Saraiyan village. Pilibhit DFO VK Singh said that the animal could have shifted location.
There is doubt emerging if it is the wandering "charger-tiger" which left the man injured in Kuriyani village. "Man-mauling tiger will not run away so easily, it could have dragged the man inside forest," said VP Singh, a wildlife conservationist camping in the area. Mailani forest has sizeable tiger population and Kuriyani is a village bordering the forest. Chance encounter with big cats is not a rare occurrence in the area. Search operations will continue to tranquillise and capture the tiger.
Meanwhile, elephants which have been brought from Dudhwa for search operation are present in Bilandapur forest beat of Khutar range of Shahjahanpur. The villagers there had not been allowing the elephants to move from the spot. "They are demanding search team to go inside forest, search for tiger and assure that big cat has moved out of the place," said a local forest staff. The local political figures are working to allay the fears of villagers.
The terai area is reeling under tiger fear. Since May 3, eight humans have been killed and partially eaten by a sub-adult tiger. Officials are presuming the same tiger to have struck on all occasions. The last human kill was made on August 26 in Bilandapur forest beat. No human kill or attach was reported in the area till early Sunday morning when Rambhajan was attacked and injured. The senior forest officials along with experts from wildlife organisations are on watch.
Baits have been tied inside forest patches where tiger was reported to be moving. Enclosures have been set and villagers are told not to venture into forest's periphery. The rains and flood is making the search operation difficult.
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