Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh): A tiger mauled a 40-year-old man to death in South Kheri Forest division of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR).
Big cats have mauled six people to death this month.
The incident, which took place on Saturday, comes days after a 38-year-old woman was killed by a tiger in the Mohammadi range in the said district.
Besides, four people have been killed by leopards in the forests of the district this month.
According to reports, Veerpal, a resident of Bakarganj village under the Hyderabad police circle, had gone to a sugarcane field near the Aanvla jungles of Mohammadi range to collect fodder for his cattle when he was attacked by the big cat.
Other farmers working in nearby fields rushed to the scene and the tiger escaped through the dense fields. Veerpal was rushed to a community health centre in Gola where he succumbed to his injuries.
South Kheri divisional forest officer Sanjay Biswal visited the area along with field staff to take stock of the situation and assured all possible help to the deceased’s family.
The official said that combing teams had been deployed to drive the tiger back to the forest.
Biswal said movement of big cats, including tigers and leopards, had been regularly reported from the area. As a result, the villagers have been asked to be alert and vigilant while going to the fields.
He has asked the villagers to avoid going out in the evening and at night when carnivores are on the prowl, and to work in large groups when necessary.
Senior forest officials have issued instructions to trap or tranquilise the leopard, which was suspected to be too old or feeble to catch its natural prey.
Cages and cameras in large numbers have been set up and images of the elusive leopard have been captured. The leopard has stayed away from the cages.
–IANS