A man-eater tigress that has been roaming the Morshi-Chandur Bazar belt in Amravati district for ten days claimed its second human life on Sunday, triggering protests and a tense standoff between villagers and forest officials. Residents vandalized a forest department vehicle and refused to allow authorities to shift the girl’s body.
Fatal Attack in Sonori Village
The victim, Urmila Bajirao Ivane, 18, from Sonori village, was killed around 4 p.m. while cutting fodder for goats in an orange orchard near Ambadevi temple and Ambamata stream on the village outskirts.
According to villagers, Urmila noticed the tigress approaching through a tur field and attempted to climb a tree. The animal pounced on her, seized her by the neck, and dragged her into nearby bushes. Villagers who rushed to the spot after hearing cries for help found her dead. The tigress fled after locals raised an alarm.
Village Protests and Unrest
Hundreds of residents from Sonori and neighboring villages gathered after the body was recovered. An agitated mob damaged a forest department vehicle and smashed its window panes. Villagers refused to allow police to lift the body, shouting that they would not permit removal until authorities dealt with the tigress.
Following the unrest, Achalpur SDPO Ishani Anand and officers from Brahmanwada Thadi police station arrived with a large police contingent and brought the situation under control. Senior forest officials and a rescue team were also rushed to the spot.
Earlier Attack on Shepherd
The attack came hours after the same tigress targeted a shepherd in the Sonori-Jalnapur area. Soma Parate, a tribal man, was grazing goats near Ambamata stream between 10 and 11 a.m. when the tigress charged at him. Forest officials said Parate escaped by taking cover in scrub forest and running toward the village. The tigress killed two goats and injured another.
After the morning attack, the animal was seen in bushes on nearby E-class land and later spotted in a tur field near Sonori shortly before the fatal attack on Urmila.
The day’s tiger sightings began early morning when Naushad, a resident of Riddhpur traveling toward Ghatladki on a motorcycle, spotted the tigress moving along Jalnapur road about 500 metres from Riddhpur. Forest officials later confirmed pugmarks in the area.
Series of Attacks and Background
Forest authorities have identified the animal as the same tigress linked to a series of attacks and livestock kills across Morshi and Chandur Bazar tehsils.
According to officials, the tigress first killed farmer Charandas Ikhe, 55, at Bhambora village in Morshi tehsil on August 27. Since then, it has attacked or killed livestock at Kavthal, Salepur-Shirala, and Nazarpur, while also being sighted at Naya Wathoda and other locations.
Capture Operations Underway
For the past two nights, forest department teams led by Morshi range forest officer Yogita Magar have been attempting to tranquilize and capture the tigress. Trap cages, camera traps, and drone surveillance have been deployed at recent kill sites, including Nazarpur and Sonori. However, officials said the animal has not returned to its kills and remains untraceable.
MLA Pravin Tayde has directed the forest department to take urgent steps to capture the tigress and ensure villagers’ safety.
The continuing movement of the tigress across villages in Morshi and Chandur Bazar has created fear among farmers, agricultural labourers, and cattle herders, many of whom say venturing into fields has become increasingly risky.
Attack Timeline
The attacks began on August 27 when Charandas Ikhe was killed at Bhambora village. A cow belonging to Swapnil Pathare was killed and another injured at Kavthal on August 29. The tigress was sighted at Naya Wathoda on August 31. A calf belonging to Pranit Mawale was killed in a farm hut in Salepur-Shirala on September 2. A cow belonging to Nimbhorkar was killed at Riddhpur-Mauza Nazarpur on September 5. A girl and two goats were killed at Sonori-Jalnapur on September 6.