Tiger kills 15-year-old Adivasi girl in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district
KOMARAM BHEEM ASIFABAD: In a second incident of a tiger attacking and killing a human being, a young girl, Pasula Nirmala, 15 years, was killed while she was picking cotton in the fields on the outskirts of Kondapalli village in Penchikalpet mandal in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district Sunday afternoon.
It was learnt that a tiger attacked and killed Ms Nirmala, an Adivasi girl of poor background, who had discontinued her studies in early childhood and took to working for earning money to support her family. Her mother Lasmakka was picking cotton in nearby fields when the incident took place.
It is reported that nearly 10 villagers went to the fields three km away from their village for cotton picking. Nirmala was picking cotton at a slightly afar distance inside while others were picking the crop at different places across the fields.
According to eyewitnesses, a tiger suddenly came from behind and attacked the girl, caught her neck and dragged her off to some distance.
Other agriculture laborers picking cotton in nearby fields got alerted on hearing screams for help and rushed to the spot. Chakravarthy, a villager who was in the surrounding, rushed to the spot and pelted a wooden stick at the tiger while it was dragging the girl further away.
The tiger dashed off into the thick bushes, leaving the injured girl behind. But the tiger again returned when the villagers were shifting the injured girl to a safer place. The villagers pelted stones at the tiger this time and made loud noises to chase the beast away. The girl succumbed to her injuries on the spot.
With this incident, people of surrounding villages have raised doubts whether a ‘man-eater’ tiger on the prowl in the area.
It was, however, not yet confirmed by forest officials whether it was the same tiger that killed Vignesh, an Adivasi youth in Digida village in Dahegaon mandal on November 11. It may be recalled that a resident tigress being called ‘K8’ has been sighted while drinking water at Regichettu Madugu in Penchikalpet Forest Range on November 26.
Komaram Bheem Asifabad DFO Shantharam, who visited the scene of the tragedy, said they will pay compensation `5 lakh to the victim's family and try to give a compensatory job.
He however said the tiger that killed Nirmala was not the same that killed Vignesh as they have confirmation that the predator involved in the previous kill had entered into bordering Maharashtra.
