A 16-year girl was killed in Asifabad District of Telangana after a tiger dragged her from the neck while she was working on a cotton field on Sunday.
The incident took place in Kondapally village of the Penchikal Mandal, when the victim Pasula Nirmala went to pluck cotton along with her mother Lakshmakka, brother Rajesh and other seven labourers on Sunday morning.
During the afternoon, the group commenced their lunch break on one side of the cotton field, and on the side Nirmala with her friend were carrying on with their work. She was attacked in a sudden manner by the tiger, which dragged her off by her neck.
The villagers attempted to ward off the tiger and save the minor by throwing rocks and wooden sticks at it. “We noticed Nirmala screaming and ran behind the tiger. With our shouts, the tiger left Nirmala after some distance,” said those present at the scene of the incident.
But Nirmala could not be saved, owing to severe injuries to her waist and neck.
District Forest Officer-DFO Santaram, who visited the spot, spoke to his superiors over the phone and announced that one of the victim’s family members would be given a government job and compensation of Rs 5 lakh.
But this is not a solitary incident in the area, as a couple of weeks ago, a 19-year boy, Vignesh, hailing from Digida village, Dahegam District of Maharastra was killed by a tiger on September 11. The incident took place on the border of Maharashtra and Telangana.
A tiger was also spotted by villagers at Peddavagu in the Penchikalpet Mandal. They suspect the tiger which killed Nirmala and Vignesh is same since these areas all fall within a 15-kilometre radius. However, the DFO has denied these claims.
But people from villages close to the forest areas are not convinced. They fear for their lives amid these horrific incident, while urging the government to take immediate action to catch the tiger.
Source: News18