14-year-old boy mauled to death by tigress

Lakhimpur Kheri: A female tiger that has turned man-eater, mauled a 14-year-old boy to death in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Monday.

The victim, Suraj Singh, had gone out to graze his cattle on Sunday evening and his half-eaten body was later found in the forest area on Sunday night.

Suraj Singh is the 20th victim of the tigress in the past two years.

“People in about half a dozen village around the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) are living under constant fear. Twenty people have been killed by the big cat but the forest officials have done nothing about the problem,” said Prem Kant, a local resident.

Forest officials, meanwhile, said that three elephants have been deployed for combing the area and eight cages have been set up with baits. Camera with sensors have also been put up.

DTR field director Sanjay Pathak said that the tigress has turned a man-eater and orders were out to tranquilise the big cat.

“We are trying to track the tigress so that she can be tranquilized at the earliest,” he said.

He said that people were being repeatedly advised to remain indoors and move out only in groups if absolutely necessary.