West Champaran: Tiger Attack Claims Life Near Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Panic Spreads in Village

Bettiah: A 50-year-old man, Inardev Mahto, was killed in a tiger attack while grazing goats near Banbairiya village in the Sahodra police station area on Tuesday. The tiger emerged from the nearby Valmiki Tiger Reserve forest, attacked Mahto, and dragged him for 200 meters into a sugarcane field, where it left his body.

The incident has triggered panic in the region. According to Mahto’s family who reside in Banbairiya village in Gaunaha block, he had left home early in the morning to graze goats. When the goats returned home without him, his family grew suspicious and began searching for him around noon. It was later discovered that he had been killed by the tiger.

Upon receiving the information, the local police rushed to the spot and began their investigation. The Forest Conservator of West Champaran, Dr. Neshamani K, confirmed that the attack occurred near a village adjacent to the forest. Villager Madan Mahto stated that the tiger had attacked Inardev in the field of Santosh Vikram Shah while he was tending to his goats.

Valmiki Tiger Reserve, the only habitat in Bihar where tigers can be seen in the wild, is located in the area. The reserve covers approximately 900 square kilometers and is home to 54 tigers. However, this is not the first time a tiger has attacked people in the region. In the past three years, there have been four tiger attacks outside the reserve, resulting in multiple deaths.

The most significant incident occurred in 2022, when a tiger attacked 10 people, killing 9 of them. In 2023, there were two additional tiger attacks—one where the tiger was rescued, and another in which a woman lost her life. In July 2024, a tiger roamed near Chanpatia for 10 days, attempting to attack people but eventually returned to the forest without causing any casualties.