A shocking and tragic incident has shaken Gunjewahi and nearby areas after four women were killed in a tiger attack while collecting tendu leaves in the forest on Friday near Gunjewahi forest area in Sindewahi tehsil, informed a senior forest officer from Chandrapur Circle. The Forest Department has stalled the tendu leaves collection in the area temporarily and launched probe to confirm whether one or more tigers were involved, informed the forest officer. The 10-13 members of group, including four women who were killed in the tiger incident, went to forest area of Gunjewahi on Friday morning. However, while the women were engaged in collecting tendu leaves under compartment no-1836 of the Gunjewadi forest area, a tiger attacked on them and killed on the spot.

 

The deceased identified as Kawadabai Mohurle, (45), Anitabai Mohurle (40), Sunita Mohurle (38) and Sangita Chaudhary (50), all were from Gunjewahi village in Sindewahi tehsil. Upon receiving information regarding the incident, Anjali Sayankar, Forest Range Officer, Sindewahi, P S Mankar, Field Assistant, Gunjewahi, Amar Gedam, Forest Guard, Gunjewahi, along with other forest personnel from the subordinate range and the RRU team from Sindewahi, immediately arrived at the scene. After receiving the incident, Dr Kumaraswamy S R, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Brahmapuri Forest Division, M B Gaikwad, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Brahmapuri Forest Division, and Arvind J, Assistant Conservator of Forests (Territorial & Wildlife), Brahmapuri Forest Division, also reached the site. The Police Department was immediately informed of the incident.

 

The staff from Sindewahi Police Station and forest officials of Sindewahi conducted site inspection and shifted the bodies to the Rural Hospital, Sindewahi, for post-mortem examination, informed a senior forest officer. The financial assistance, a total sum of Rs 1,00,000 (Rs 25,000 per person) was disbursed in cash to the kins of the deceased, informed a senior officer. “We are not sure whether a single tiger attacked on the four women or more than one tiger. We have banned tendu leaves collection for time being in the area and instructions have been given to the contractor. The Forest Department has been conducting regular patrols in the area, and various preventive measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict were implemented even before the commencement of the Tendu leaf collection season.

 

Forest officers visited the Tendu collection centers to guide labourers, advising them to venture into the forest only in groups. Furthermore, measures such as broadcasting alerts via loudspeakers in every village, displaying posters, and raising public awareness regarding the presence of tigers are being consistently implemented,” informed a senior forest officer. To monitor the tiger’s movements in the vicinity of the incident site, 30 camera traps and 3 live cameras have been installed, and patrolling by field staff and special squads has been intensified. The Forest Department appealed the citizens to exercise extreme caution when entering forest areas and to ensure they venture into the forest only in groups, informed a senior forest officer.