Pathikrit.ChakrabortyLucknow: A 50-year-old farmer was killed in a suspected tiger attack in Sitapur dist on Wednesday evening, triggering panic among villagers amid fears that a big cat is roaming the area.The incident took place around 5 pm in Rasulwa village under Madhavapur gram panchayat in the Sandana police station area.The victim, Kamal Kishore (50), had left for his fields in the morning but did not return home. Concerned family members and villagers launched a search and later found his body lying outside the village.Villagers said the body bore signs of a violent animal attack. His neck and one leg had been severely mauled and drag marks were found near the spot, indicating that a large carnivorous animal may have attacked him and attempted to drag the body away.The incident sparked fear across the area, with a large number of villagers gathering at the site. Residents said reports of wild animal movement had surfaced in recent weeks and the latest attack has heightened concerns about safety in fields and nearby forested areas.Villagers alleged that they had alerted forest officials nearly 20 days ago after a suspected wild animal killed several cows and goats in the Nandbaha forest area. However, they claimed that no concrete preventive measures were taken and surveillance remained inadequate.Following the incident, personnel from the Forest Department and local police reached the spot and began an investigation.Forest Range Officer Madin Ahmad said officials were collecting evidence to ascertain the exact nature of the attack. Police officials said the precise cause of death and the identity of the animal would be confirmed after the post-mortem examination and completion of the forest department’s inquiry.However, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Naveen Khandelwal later said preliminary evidence pointed to a tiger attack.“Forest teams have found tiger pugmarks at the site and trap cameras have been installed to monitor the animal’s movement,” Khandelwal said.He said forest personnel were carrying out continuous combing operations in the area to trace and capture the animal. The department has also appealed to villagers not to venture alone into fields or forest areas until the situation is brought under control.The incident has intensified anxiety among residents, who have demanded that the Forest Department step up patrolling, identify and capture the animal at the earliest, and ensure adequate safety measures to prevent further attacks.
