A deaf and mute man was killed in a tiger attack within Paoni Wildlife Range of Pench in Nagpur district on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred while the man was tending to his cattle and goats within the buffer forest zone. The tiger pounced on him, resulting in fatal injuries. In the aftermath of the incident, a tense situation ensued as villagers expressed their grief and frustration towards the Forest Department. The agitated crowd demanded adequate compensation for the victim which escalated the situation to a critical point before intervention by senior officials from both the Forest and Police Departments diffuse the tension. The deceased, identified as Surju Zitu Invate (55) from Kadbikheda village, owned a farm in the buffer zone under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Villagers frequently ventured into the buffer zone for various activities such as tending to their farms, grazing cattle, collecting firewood, and cutting grass.

 

A police official reported that the incident occurred near a nullah where the tiger was expected to be present. Being deaf and mute, Invate was unable to hear the roaring of the tiger. He regularly visited the farm through the same route and engaged in activities like grazing cattle and goats. At 2 pm on Friday, Invate fell victim to a surprise attack from the tiger which resulted in injuries caused by the tiger’s incisors (teeths). Notably, the tiger did not consume the body, according to police officials.

 

Upon discovering the body, villagers transported it back to the village. Tensions rose when Forest Department officials arrived, with villagers resisting the handover of the body for post-mortem. They demanded compensation and increased security against future tiger attacks. Quick action by Range Forest Officer Jayesh Tayade, Assistant Police Inspector Rajesh Patil from Deolapar Police Station, and local public representatives, including Shantatai Kumare, Chandrakant Kodawte, and Ukesh Uike, played a crucial role in diffusing the situation. Assurances from these officials led to the normalisation of the situation, and the body was handed over for post-mortem. Deolapar Police registered a case of accidental death.