NEW DELHI: A wave of terror has gripped the area near the new bypass bridge adjoining the Corbett Tiger Reserve after a tiger allegedly dragged a man off the road and into the jungle late on Saturday evening.
The brutal attack, which occurred in the Bela Beat area of the Ramnagar Forest Division, prompted an immediate and intensive search operation by the Forest Department.
The grim discovery was made early on Sunday morning after search teams resumed operations. Following the tiger’s paw prints for nearly two kilometres deep into the forest, teams located the partially consumed remains of the victim.
“Only the head was recovered; the rest of the body parts were consumed by the big cat,” confirmed a senior Forest Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.
The initial attack took place as dusk settled. A search operation was launched immediately but had to be called off late on Saturday night due to poor visibility and safety concerns for the rescue team.
Ankit Badola, Sub Divisional Officer of the Ramnagar Forest Division, detailed the timeline.
“This incident occurred late in the evening when the tiger lifted the individual from the road and took him into the forest. We conducted a continuous search overnight, but had to halt the operation for safety reasons as darkness increased. The intensive search resumed at dawn.”
It was during this renewed search that the horrific evidence was found.
SDO Badola confirmed that the identity of the deceased remains unknown. “The body is being sent for post-mortem examination, and DNA sampling will also be conducted to confirm the victim’s identity,” he stated.
The Forest Department has significantly heightened vigilance in the region. Villagers residing near the buffer zone have been strictly advised to avoid venturing into forest areas until the situation is contained.
This latest fatality marks the fourth death due to tiger attacks in and around the Corbett Tiger Reserve and Ramnagar Forest Division within the last month alone.
The escalating frequency of such human wildlife conflict incidents is fuelling widespread fear among local residents, presenting a critical challenge for the Forest Department despite continuous public appeals to stay clear of forested areas.