Lakhimpur Kheri: An adult tiger, who has strayed away from Manjhra Purab forests, attacked a priest of a nearby temple and killed him, a forest official said on Saturday.
Mohan Das (52), was walking near the temple on Friday night when the big cat attacked him. The official said that the temple is located near Tikunia-Bahraich railway track in close vicinity of Dudhwa buffer zone forests, where movements of tigers, elephants and other wild animals is reported frequently.
The tiger attacked the priest and dragged away his body to the neighbouring forests, official said, adding that the mangled remains of the deceased, including head and some other parts, were recovered on Saturday. The human killing has agitated the locals, who staged a demonstration demanding relief from tiger menace.
Deputy Director, Dudhwa buffer zone Sundaresha along with SDM Nighasan Rajesh Kum rushed to the spot and held talks with agitated villagers.
The deputy director confirmed the human casualty in tiger attack and said that the forest department has agreed to pursue the wire-fencing proposal to be sent through Kheri District Magistrate as demanded by the villagers. The forest authorities assured the villagers to encage the errant tiger, he added. Moreover, forest teams would be deployed in the area to keep a watch on the wild animals’ movements and keep them away from the human habitations. Cameras would also be installed in the region to identify the stray tiger, the official said. —PTI
