Bagaha/Patna: Two people have died in separate tiger attacks within 48 hours in villages bordering the Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar’s Bagaha region, intensifying fears among communities living close to the forest.
The latest victim, 45-year-old Umravati Devi, was killed on Friday while working alone in a field at Mishrauliya Reta in the Madanpur forest range near the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh border.
According to officials and local residents, a tiger emerged from a nearby sugarcane field and attacked her, clamping its jaws around her head. Despite villagers rushing to the scene after hearing her cries and forcing the animal to retreat, she died at the spot from severe head injuries.
Umravati Devi, wife of Ramayan Chaudhary (Sahni), was a resident of Ward No. 13 under the Naurangiya police station area.
Farmer Succumbs To Injuries
The second fatality followed an attack on Thursday, when 65-year-old Aklu Yadav was mauled by a tiger while grazing goats in Bisha village near the Valmikinagar forest range.
The tiger reportedly seized Yadav by the leg, causing serious injuries. Villagers drove the animal away after gathering in large numbers and confronting it with sticks and loud shouts. Yadav was taken to Gorakhpur for treatment but died on Friday.
Ramvriksh, one of the villagers who rushed to rescue him, said many people gathered after the alarm was raised, forcing the tiger to release the injured man.
You may like to read this article as well:
Tiger Mauls 65-Year-Old Near Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Sparking Panic Among Locals
Injured Tiger Found Dead
Following Thursday’s attack, Forest Department officials launched a search operation to trace the tiger. Guided by pugmarks, the team later found a tiger dead inside a forest thicket.
Officials estimate the animal was around 10 years old. Multiple deep wounds were found on its body, leading forest authorities to suspect it had been injured during a territorial fight with another tiger before straying into nearby villages in search of prey.
Gaurav Ojha, Conservator of Forests and Director of the Valmiki Tiger Reserve, said the exact cause of the tiger’s death would be known only after a post-mortem examination. The carcass has been secured for medical investigation.
You may like to read this article as well:
A Tiger Was Found Dead In Valmiki Tiger Reserve. Here’s What Officials Suspect
Fear Grips Border Villages
The back-to-back attacks have created widespread anxiety among residents living along the forest fringe, with many villagers reluctant to venture into their fields.
After Friday’s incident, a Forest Department team led by Madanpur Forest Range Officer Naseem Ansari, accompanied by police from Naurangiya police station, reached the spot, took custody of the woman’s body and initiated legal formalities.
The Forest Department has advised residents to remain vigilant and avoid entering fields adjoining the forest alone, urging people to travel in groups until the situation stabilises.
