BHOPAL — A tigress from Madhya Pradesh’s Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve attacked a forest patrol staffer on Sunday, marking the latest in a string of human-wildlife conflicts involving the same big cat, forest officials confirmed Monday.
The attack occurred during a routine foot patrol in the Panpatha beat of the Pataur range within Umaria district. Ramsuhavan Chaudhary, a forest guard, sustained injuries to his back, forearm, and head when the tigress, concealed in thick underbrush, launched a sudden assault.
Chaudhary was immediately transported to the District Hospital in Umaria for treatment. Dr. K.L. Soni, the civil surgeon at the facility, reported that the forest worker suffered non-life-threatening injuries but required stitches for wounds on his head and forearm. For additional care, Chaudhary’s family later transferred him to a hospital in Jabalpur.
Park authorities believe the tigress involved is the same one responsible for two earlier attacks on residents of Kushmaha village, which borders the reserve. In response, officials have intensified efforts to track the animal’s movements, using elephants for monitoring to prevent further incidents.
Field Director Anupam Sahay told IANS that discussions are underway to relocate the tigress to a safer area. “We are considering all options to mitigate the risk to nearby communities,” Sahay said.
Tensions have been high in the region following the previous attacks, with angry villagers staging a blockade at the Panpatha barrier to demand the tigress’s permanent removal. While the forest department had initially used elephants to drive the tigress away from populated areas, residents remain adamant that relocation is the only acceptable solution.
Forest authorities had already begun preparations for the tigress’s relocation, seeking approval from senior wildlife officials and closely tracking the animal to avoid mistakenly capturing another tiger. However, the recent attack on the forest patrol staff has heightened tensions and delayed the relocation process.
In the wake of the latest incident, patrolling in the Panpatha beat has been temporarily suspended. The reserve is now relying on elephant-based monitoring to keep track of the tigress until a permanent resolution can be implemented.
This latest encounter underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing wildlife conservation with human safety in regions where expanding tiger populations and human settlements increasingly intersect. (Source: IANS)
