1 dead in UP tiger attack - 4th case in April

Lakhimpur Kheri, April 24 In a fourth such incident this month, an 18-year-old labourer was killed in a tiger attack in Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa Tiger Reserve.

So far, 19 people from villages around the Majhra forest area have been killed in tiger attacks in the past two years.

Akash Diwakar a resident of Sahenkheda village of the area, was in the forest to cut reeds. He was on his bike when the big cat allegedly pounced on him and mauled him to death.

Diwakar used to collect forest produce for a local contractor.

Deputy director of DTR (buffer), Sundaresh said: "The incident took place in Katarniaghat forest, just 20 metres away from Kheri forest. The victim had a deep injury in his neck. In fact, the contractor, in greed of extra income, had sent the victim. They wanted to cut grass before the onset of the rainy season, despite the fact that we had issued warnings that the area has the presence of several tigers."

Deputy director of Katarniaghat, Akashdeep Wadhawan, said: "After the last incident, we had installed cameras in the area. We found the presence of an adult leopard there. We have also recovered the pug marks of a tiger near the spot and are trying to ascertain which big cat was involved in this particular incident. Once we locate the conflict animal, we may seek permission to trap it in a cage."

Forest officials claimed that the attack was reported inside the jungle, while the victim's kin alleged that he was killed outside the forest area.

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