Two women were killed in separate tiger attacks in Madhya Pradesh’s Seoni district on Sunday, June 14, with the incidents occurring within a span of nearly three hours. The attacks occurred at locations approximately 60 kilometres apart, sparking outrage among local residents and raising concerns over increasing human-wildlife interactions.
Both incidents occurred near the Pench-Kanha Tiger Corridor. Seoni district is home to Pench National Park, while the adjoining districts of Balaghat and Mandla are known for housing the famous Kanha Tiger Reserve (KTR).
The first attack was reported at around 11:30 am in the Mau Chandiya Pahadi area under the Bahrai range of the Madhya Pradesh Forest Development Corporation’s (MPFDC) Barghat division. According to officials, a tiger attacked a woman while she was working in an agricultural field and dragged her into a nearby forested area.
The attack site is located approximately 40 kilometres from the Seoni district headquarters. The victim was identified as Shevbati Marskole, 45, a resident of the locality.
The second fatal attack occurred at around 1:00 pm in the Jamrapani circle of the Gorakhpur beat under the Kurai forest range. Officials said a tiger attacked and killed 55-year-old Shanti Bai Kumre, another local resident.
Villagers later discovered her mutilated remains in a patch of forest adjoining agricultural land. The location is situated around 70 kilometres from the district headquarters.
The two fatal incidents occurring within a short period fuelled resentment among villagers and created fear among people engaged in farming and other outdoor activities in the area. The attacks triggered anger among local residents, who voiced concerns over the situation.
Barghat Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Lalit Gathre said authorities were making efforts to restore normalcy and calm the affected communities. Speaking over the phone, he said he was present in Dhanoli village under the Kurai area, while teams from the police, forest, and revenue departments had been deployed to Mau Chandiya Pahadi to counsel agitated villagers.
According to Gathre, a large number of villagers gathered at both locations after the attacks. The tense atmosphere prevented authorities from immediately conducting post-mortem examinations of the bodies.
Divisional Forest Officer (South General Forest Division) Gaurav Kumar Mishra said officials were collecting detailed information regarding the incident in the Kurai forest range. He added that police and revenue department personnel were already present at the site, while senior forest officials had also been dispatched to supervise the situation and monitor developments.
Ramkishan Solanki, Divisional Manager of the MPFDC’s Barghat project, said efforts were underway to pacify villagers with the assistance of police and revenue officials.
The back-to-back attacks have once again highlighted the challenges of human-wildlife conflict in areas surrounding major tiger habitats and wildlife corridors, where interactions between people and large carnivores occasionally occur as both humans and wildlife share the landscape.
Farmer Killed in Suspected Big Cat Attack in Lakhimpur Kheri
A 60-year-old man was killed in a suspected big cat attack in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district on Sunday while working in his field, a forest official said.
The deceased was identified as Ramdin, a resident of Ramnagar Kalan village under the Bhira police station area, according to Kirti Chaudhary, Deputy Director (Dudhwa Buffer Zone).
Chaudhary said it is yet to be determined whether the animal involved in the attack was a tiger or a leopard.
Following information about the incident, the range officer was rushed to the spot to assess the situation, she said.
Further action will be taken after the post-mortem examination report is received, the officer added.
