A 60-year-old farmer was allegedly killed in a big cat attack in Ramnagar village under Bhira police station in Kheri district on Sunday evening, around 6km from the nearest forest of Majhgai forest range. This marks the second such fatality in North Kheri forest division since June 7 and the fifth since April 25, with four earlier deaths attributed to leopard attacks.
Incident Details
Village pradhan Mahesh Singh said Ramdeen was applying fertiliser to his sugarcane crop when the feline lurking in the field pounced on him, causing critical injuries to his throat, face, right thigh and back. “He succumbed before villagers could take him to the medical facility,” he said.
Protests Over Delay
The incident triggered anger among residents, who accused forest personnel of delaying their arrival. Sub-divisional magistrate of Gola circle, Pratiksha Tripathi, said the delay was caused by the compulsion to ferry across a river by boat to reach the village, but villagers questioned the explanation, pointing out that police reached the spot within an hour. In protest, they prevented authorities from sending the body for autopsy.
Animal Identification
Divisional forest officer of North Kheri forest division, Kirti Chaudhary, told TOI that it was yet to be confirmed whether the feline was a leopard or a tiger, though villagers and police maintained it was a tiger.
Ongoing Threat
Locals said the animal retreated into nearby sugarcane fields after being chased away with loud noise and tractors, warning it could strike again unless tranquilised and relocated. The DFO said safety measures would be ensured and a rescue operation launched on Monday morning.
Upcoming Meeting
The incident coincides with a meeting being organised by Dudhwa Tiger Reserve on June 15, where wildlife scientists, experts and senior forest officials, including the UP principal secretary of environment, forest and climate change and the additional director general of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, are scheduled to discuss strategies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
