Maharashtra: Tigress kills woman forest officer in Tadoba forest

A woman forest officer was killed by a tigress in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra on Saturday.

According to the forest officials, the forest officer, Swati N Dhumane, and three forest beat helpers had gone to the TATR for conducting tiger survey and patrolling at 7 am as a part of All India Tiger Estimation-2022. Dr Jitendra Ramgaonkar, Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) of TATR, said in a statement, "After the team walked 4 km from Kolara gate till compartment no 97, they noticed a tigress sitting on road, approximately 200 metres from them. The team waited for half an hour and tried to take a detour through thick patch of the forest."

The tigress, after noticing the movement in the forest, followed and attacked Dhumane, who was just moving just behind the three beat helpers, said the statement.

The tigress dragged her inside the forest. The body of the officers was immediately found with the help of forest staff and taken for autopsy to Chimur Government Hospital.

All immediate help is being provided to the family including a daughter and her husband, said the CCF.

(ANI)