Police said a 14-year-old boy was killed in a tiger attack near Khairatiya village railway station on Monday evening. The victim has been identified as Raj Kamal Singh of Jasnagar. The tiger disappeared into the nearby fields after the attack, leaving its body in its place.
Family members and villagers discovered the body on Tuesday morning near a hut close to the railway line. Dudhwa buffer zone officials were informed about the incident following which North Nigasan Forest District Officer Bhupendra Singh and his staff reached the spot. They found signs of the pug tiger right away.
Kirti Chaudhary, deputy director of Dudhwa buffer zone, said the boy was walking towards the railway tracks near Mohana river when he was attacked and killed by a leopard. She added that the body will be sent for autopsy and compensation will be provided to the affected family.
Chaudhary said the area was located near the forests of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and was vulnerable to movements of big cats and other wild animals. She added that erecting a mesh fence in some sensitive places in this region has prevented human casualties from big cat attacks over the past two years.
Local villagers and farmers union leaders lodged a protest with the forest reserve officer, police and Nigasan sub-district magistrate and demanded cash compensation and jobs for the affected family. They also demanded that the entire area be fenced to prevent the movement of big cats into their area.
