MYSURU: A tiger mauled a farmer to death at Sargur taluk of Mysuru district on Sunday. The incident occurred just two weeks after another farmer was attacked by a tiger.
The victim, identified as Rajashekar Murthy, was killed by the tiger in a farm located between Mulluru Hundi and Bennegere villages in Hediyala hobli near Chikkadevamma Hill around 1 pm. Murthy and his fellow farmer Siddaramaegowda (50) had gone to harvest tomatoes at Bennegere village. After completing their work, they were heading home for lunch when the tiger, hiding in the bushes, attacked them.
While Siddaramaegowda managed to escape, Rajashekar was mauled by the tiger and he died on the spot because of severe injuries on the face.
Villagers say they see tigers regularly
Learning about the incident, HD Kote MLA Anil Chikkamadu rushed to the spot, consoled the bereaved family, and assured them of government compensation. But the situation turned tense as angry villagers confronted him, accusing the government and forest officials of negligence.
They alleged that despite repeated complaints and tiger sightings in the area, no action was taken. “Though Mullur village is far from the forest, a tiger entered the village and killed a farmer. But officials arrived only hours after the incident,” they said.
Wildlife activist Joseph Hoover said, “A 55-year-old farmer, Rajashekar from Mullur Hundi near the Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary under the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, was killed by a tiger. Another farmer was seriously injured in a tiger attack near the same sanctuary. Two tigers were captured from the Hediyala and Nugu areas last week and shifted to the Bannerghatta Rehabilitation Centre.”
On October 16, a 35-year-old farmer, Mahadeva Gowda, was critically injured in a tiger attack in Sargur taluk. Mahadeva was harvesting cotton in his field near Badagalapura village, close to Nugu Dam, when the tiger pounced on him, leaving him with grievous facial injuries. He is still undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital. Forest officials had then launched a combing operation and captured a three-year-old tigress suspected to have carried out the attack.
Forester officials have decided to launch a massive combing operation in the region from Monday to trace and capture the tiger that killed the farmer.
Take firm steps to capture tiger, says Khandre
Mysuru: Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre expressed deep sorrow over the death of a farmer who was killed by a tiger at Mullur village in Saragur taluk of Mysuru district on Sunday. Expressing concern over the rising number of tiger attacks, Khandre urged cattle grazers, residents of villages bordering forests and plantation workers to exercise extra caution whenever there are reports of wild animal movement, including tige-rs, leopards and elephants.
