Farmer injured in tiger attack

Forest staff in a swift operation capture tigress

Nanjangud: A farmer, who was working in his agricultural field, sustained injuries when a tigress attacked him all of a sudden. The incident took place yesterday afternoon at Nagannapura village in the taluk and the Forest Department staff, who acted swiftly, captured the tigress at Belluru Hundi village in the evening.

The injured farmer is 45-year-old Suresh, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mysuru. Villagers working in neighbouring agri fields, who saw the tigress attacking Suresh, began to shout resulting in the tigress fleeing from the spot.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Paramesh, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Narayan and staff, who rushed to the spot, conducted an inspection and helped in shifting the injured to the hospital.

Bandipur Conservator of Forests (CF) Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Veterinarian Dr. Mirza Vaseem, ACF Paramesh and RFO Narayan, who obtained permission from their higher officers, conducted a swift operation and traced the tigress near Belluru Hundi village in the evening and Veterinarian Dr. Mirza tranquillised the tigress, following which the staff secured it with a net. On inspecting the tigress, the Forest officials found that the tigress was injured.

CF Dr. Ramesh told Star of Mysore that the tigress was aged about 12 years and was spotted earlier at Hediyala Range in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. It had sustained injuries in a fight with other tiger and had lost its ability to hunt. The tigress after coming out of the forest, had ventured into the agri field and on seeing the people working, it had taken shelter among the bushes.

It is learnt that farmer Suresh, on seeing the tigress lying in the bushes, ventured close to it only to be attacked by the tigress.

As the tigress was in a critical state, the Forest Department personnel have shifted it to Chamundi Animal Conservation, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Koorgalli on the outskirts of Mysuru, where it is being treated.