Tiger mauls farmer in PTR’s Mala division

Pilibhit: Tigers have again strayed out of Pilibhit Reserve, posing a threat to human lives and a challenge to forest authorities. A tiger mauled a farmer at Mala Bengali Colony under Marauri block on Sunday while two tigers were spotted by the forest staff at two different locations. One of them was sighted near Puranpur Cooperative Sugar Mill, around 4 km from Haripur range of PTR, and another was seen in Selha Bengali Colony. adjacent to Barahi forest range.
A farmer of Mala Bengali Colony was mauled by a tiger on Sunday evening when he entered Mala forest division of PTR for defecation. According to the farmer, who was identified as Hari Krishna Adhikari, 30, he was working in his field when he had to go to answer a nature’s call. As several people were working in the nearby agricultural fields, he decided to go into the jungle for privacy and was attacked by a tiger. The tiger fled when he screamed for help.
According to sub divisional officer of social forestry, KP Singh, entry into PTR is banned and those infiltrating into the forest are liable to face action. However, no action would be taken against Adhikari.
A tiger was seen near the sugar mill seen in the the sugarcane fields of a farmer identified as Balkar Singh. It is moving in Gopalpur forest area, which is neither a part of PTR nor has reported any presence of big cats earlier. This forest area of around 850 hectare is under the command and control of the social forestry division that does not have any contiguity with PTR. In fact, there is a gap of about 4.5 km between the two forest divisions.