In a incident last night, a tiger killed a farmer in the reserve forest near Pitesur village, located within the Jamb-Kandri forest range in Mohadi taluka of Bhandara. The incident, which occurred around 11 pm, claimed the life of 50-year-old Laxman Doma Mohankar, a resident of Pitesur village.
According to the forest department, the fatal incident occurred between 8 pm and 9 pm on Wednesday, December 4, in the Golden Designated Area (Bit) No. 53 Reserve Forest. The deceased, Laxman Mohankar, a farmer from the area, had gone to the pond to catch fish at night. When he did not return home by late hours, concerned villagers began searching the fields and nearby forest areas at around 11 pm. They eventually found his body in the forest, partially consumed by the tiger. His left leg was severed at the thigh, with the lower portion of the leg found some distance away from the body.
Upon being informed by the villagers, the forest department dispatched officials and a team to the location. The victim's body was transported to the rural hospital in Mohadi for a post-mortem at around 3 am.
This marks the first instance of human casualties in the area, despite long-standing rumors of tigers being present. The incident has instilled fear among the local residents, who are now urging the forest department to take action to address the threat posed by the tiger.