Bhopal: A 30-year-old man who was receiving treatment for a mental health condition lost his life in a tiger attack after he entered a waterhole inside the core zone of Pench National Park in Seoni district, Madhya Pradesh. The area is home to nearly 10 tigers. Following the incident, a group of villagers, several of whom were reportedly drunk on mahua liquor, turned violent and demanded Rs 25 lakh compensation for the deceased’s family.
The deceased has been identified as Dinesh Sewatkar, a resident of Naharjhir village, which sits just about 300 metres from the boundary of the core forest area. According to investigators, Sewatkar wandered into the protected zone on Monday evening and stepped into a natural waterhole, a spot regularly visited by large predators.
A forest patrol team first discovered the body around 5 pm while conducting a routine check of water sources, which is a standard procedure followed during summer months to monitor water availability for wildlife. Officials noted that the tiger had already moved away from the location by the time the team arrived.
A closer examination of the site revealed strong forensic evidence. Marks on the disturbed soil, drag trails, and the pattern of blood spread near the water source clearly indicated a sudden attack. It is believed Sewatkar was inside the water with only his head and upper body visible from behind a rock. Blood marks at the scene suggested the tiger grabbed him by the head and pulled him out of the water, resulting in near-instant death.
“This is a prime tiger territory and human entry is completely prohibited here,” a forest official stated.
Officials further revealed that this was not the first time Sewatkar had entered the restricted zone. Forest patrol teams had stopped him on several earlier occasions and escorted him safely back to his village. His family had been warned repeatedly and had apologised each time, citing his mental illness as the reason for his behaviour.
The tragedy quickly turned into a law-and-order situation. As word spread, a crowd of villagers assembled at the Jamtara tourism gate. Several among them were reportedly intoxicated. The mob damaged the ticket counter, vandalised three vehicles, and tried to set one of them on fire, while simultaneously pressuring forest officials to retrieve the body without delay. Forest teams carried out a night operation and successfully recovered the body at around 2 am on Tuesday.
The victim’s family and local villagers are demanding Rs 25 lakh, referring to a recent statement made by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. However, forest officials clarified that this amount has not been officially notified yet, and compensation is currently being handled under the existing wildlife conflict relief framework.
Officials also pointed out that under current rules, no compensation is applicable when a death occurs inside a core zone, since entering such areas is illegal. Despite this, authorities are considering an ex gratia payment of Rs 8 lakh as a goodwill gesture to prevent further unrest.
Pench Deputy Director Piyush Goyal said, “Our priority is to maintain law and order while ensuring the safety of both people and wildlife.”
This marks the second human death reported in Pench Tiger Reserve within the last four months. The earlier incident took place on April 1, when a man was killed by a tiger in the buffer zone while collecting mahua flowers.
