Tiger kills herder, leopard injures cyclist in Bahraich

Bahraich: In two separate cases of man-animal conflicts reported near Katerniaghat wildlife sanctuary of Bahraich on Monday, a man was killed by a tiger while another was attacked and injured by a leopard.Sources said, Anganu (40) of Harkhapur village, was riding his bicycle near a canal when a leopard pounced upon him. Anganu sustained injuries to his hand, but was fortunate that the big cat could not drag him due to the bicycle. Hearing his cries, locals rushed to the site prompting the leopard to run away. Anganu is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Bahraich.On learning about this, Anganu's father, Swami Dayal, suffered a heart attack and passed away, plunging the family into double tragedy.In another incident, Rati Ram (45), a cattle herder from Triloki Gaudi, was killed by a tiger while he was grazing his cattle in a nearby forest. Divisional forest officer (DFO) of Katerniaghat wildlife sanctuary B Shiv Shankar said the tiger responsible for Rati Ram's death had been spotted in the area for several days. He said villagers are regularly advised not to graze their livestock in the forest due to the risks involved, but a lack of grazing land forces them to do so. Regarding the Harkhapur incident, the DFO said the process of setting up cages has already begun in the area, and the irrigation department has been instructed to clear the overgrown bushes along the canal post-monsoon.Sources said there have been regular sightings of leopards around Sujauli and Harkhapur for the past two weeks. Six leopards have already been captured and relocated to the dense forests of Trans Gerua. This has raised concerns that the same leopards might be returning. However, the forest department states that while this is unlikely, they cannot confirm it with certainty.
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