Chandrapur (Maharashtra), November 20 | In a tragic incident, a woman forest guard was lynched to death by a tigress at Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) here on Saturday morning, officials said.
TATR Chief Conservator of Forests Jitendra Ramgaonkar said the tragedy occurred when the TATR officer, identified as 31-year-old Swati Dumane, along with three other beat colleagues from Kolara forest range, were counting tigers in the vicinity.
He said around 7 a.m., Dumane and his three beat helpers began a signal survey as part of the All India Tiger Estimation-2022 exercise, which is currently underway.
After covering a distance of about 4 km from Kolara Gate to compartment number 97 inside the TATR core area, the team spotted a tigress sitting barely 200 meters away, on the way ahead of them.
Ramgaonkar said that he waited for about half an hour for the tigress to move, but later decided to go through the thick part of the forest.
Sensing the humans’ movements, the tigress followed them and attacked Doomane from behind, as she was following three beat helpers.
When the next trio found out what was happening, the tigress dragged Dumane badly and dragged him inside the forest.
The beat helpers informed the seniors outside the forest, who reached the spot and managed to retrieve Dumane’s body from the dense forest where it was left behind by the tigress.
“The body has been sent for post-mortem at Chimur Government Hospital. The AITE-2022 exercise of sign survey and walking in TATR has been postponed till further notice and precautions are being taken to avoid such incidents,” Ramgaonkar said.
“Dumane hailed from nearby Gadchiroli district and is survived by her husband and a 4-year-old daughter. She joined the service of the Forest Department in 2011. TATR Foundation has released an ex-gratia amount of Rs 5 lakh for his family.
The Forest Department is providing all possible help to the bereaved family and their last rites were performed with full respect this evening.
Source: IANS