Jaipur— In a heartbreaking incident near Rajasthan’s Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, a seven-year-old boy was killed in a tiger attack while returning from a visit to the Trinetra Ganesh Temple with his grandmother on Wednesday.
The victim, identified as Kartik Suman, was the son of Dwarka Mali and a resident of Gohta village in Bundi district. The attack occurred in the Amarai forest area under the jurisdiction of the Dei Kheda police station.
According to eyewitnesses, the tiger emerged suddenly from the forest, grabbed Kartik by the head, and dragged him away in front of horrified onlookers. The animal reportedly remained in the forest for some time, keeping a paw on the child’s neck.
Panic spread quickly through the area, and local residents rushed to notify authorities at Ganesh Dham police outpost. Forest Department officials promptly responded, sealing all access routes to the Trinetra Ganesh Temple and launching efforts to locate the child.
After a tense search, forest officials managed to drive the tiger away and recover Kartik’s body. His remains were transported to the district hospital mortuary for an autopsy.
Kartik’s uncle, Deepak, who accompanied the group on the temple visit, described the horrifying moment. “There were five of us—Kartik, his grandmother, and others from our village. While descending from the temple, a tiger appeared suddenly, snatched Kartik, and disappeared into the forest. We screamed for help, but we couldn’t save him,” he said.
Another eyewitness added, “I was returning from the temple around 3 p.m. when I saw a woman walking ahead with her grandson. Suddenly, a tiger came out of the woods and grabbed the child. Everyone panicked.”
Forest officials suspect the attacker may have been Tiger T-120, which had been sighted in the Amarai area over the past two days. The animal’s movements had already raised safety concerns among locals and authorities.
The Forest Department has launched an investigation and is expected to implement additional safety measures to prevent further tragedies.
This is the second fatal tiger attack in the region in recent months. Two months ago, a young man was killed in Shyampura village, near Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur district. Villagers discovered the man’s body in a mutilated condition after the attack. (Source: IANS)
