Tiger charges at villagers trying to click pictures, one injured

Bengaluru: A group of villagers who went close to a tiger to click pictures had to run for their lives when the angry cat chased them and critically injured a person. The incident occurred outside Hediyala Wildlife Range of Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Wednesday afternoon.

The injured person, Sannaiah, aged around 50 and a resident of Naganapura colony, was one among the many onlookers who were trying to capture the tiger on their cell phones, while it was devouring a goat it had hunted down near the forest boundary. When the tiger charged at the crowd, there was a commotion among the onlookers and Sannaiah fell on the ground. The tiger took a swipe at his back and returned to the forest.

The villagers immediately shifted Sannaiah to K R Hospital in Mysore and the forest officials were informed. The forest personnel were deployed around the incident area to avert any further intrusion by the villagers.

The conservationists have pointed out that the villagers around tiger reserves in the state are risking their lives in attempt to ‘shoot’ tigers and elephants on their mobiles phones.  Most of these videos are either circulated in social media or sold to television channels.

The injured person had come to Kallenapura village to attend a funeral of his relative a day before.

The forest officials blamed the villagers for going too close to the tiger, especially when it was feeding on its prey. “The very fact that the tiger had hunted down a goat hints that the animal may have grown old or strayed outside the forest in search of food. A watch will be kept on the village boundary which abuts the tiger reserve. If the tiger movements are observed we shall keep a trap-cage. As of now there are no such plans,” said the official.

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