Man killed in animal attack near Corbett, second fatality in month sparks fear

Bageshwar: A 53-year-old man was killed in a suspected big-cat attack while returning home with his wife after collecting grass near Mohan range adjoining Corbett Tiger Reserve on Sunday evening, triggering anger in nearby villages after the second such fatal incident in the area within a month. Villagers accused forest department of failing to act despite repeated attacks and demanded that the animal be identified and captured immediately.The deceased was identified as Mahipal Singh Mehra, a resident of Tok Baurda in Tadam (Belam) village. Villagers suspected a tiger had attacked him, though forest officials said they were awaiting confirmation, as the area had the presence of both tigers and leopards.The incident led to protests on Monday when Almora divisional forest officer and administrative officials visited Mehra’s family. Local residents said fear had spread across the region and many people were avoiding farms and forest areas because they did not know which animal was behind the attacks or whether the threat had been contained.“This is not the first such case. Many people have lost their lives, but there is no concrete solution on the ground,” village head Ankit Singh said. He said the latest death had raised doubts over whether the leopard captured earlier was responsible for the previous attacks. “How long will innocent lives be lost?” he asked.A 60-year-old man was killed in a similar attack in Tadam village on March 31. In Dec last year, an elderly woman was killed by a tigress in Kholyo Kyari village, around 20km away, adding to concerns over recurring attacks in the forested belt near Mohan range.Forest officials said they had installed cages at multiple locations and deployed patrol teams after the latest attack. A leopard was captured on April 18, but officials had not confirmed its role in the previous incidents. Sub-divisional officer Kakul Pundir said four cages were currently in place and compensation procedures for Mehra’s family had been initiated. “The exact animal responsible will be confirmed after the investigation report,” the officer said.Authorities advised residents not to venture into forests alone and to restrict movement during night hours as a precaution.