A 45-year-old farmer was reportedly killed by a tiger on Saturday near Valmikinagar in West Champaran district, Bihar. The incident sparked violent protests, with an angry mob attacking forest officials and a police officer. Additionally, a vehicle belonging to the forest department was damaged during the unrest, according to local officials.
This is the latest incident adding to a growing list of man-animal conflict cases reported from the VTR in recent weeks. Soon after news of the farmer’s death spread, Bherihari Chowk turned into a scene of chaos as a large number of villagers gathered and blocked the Valmikinagar-Madanpur state highway, placing the body on the road in reaction to the recurring man-animal conflicts in the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR). Tension mounted further as forest personnel and a police team arrived at the spot. However, what began as angry protest degenerated into mob violence after agitated villagers confronted the forest personnel and chased them amid shouts and commotion.
Valmikinagar forest range officer Satyam Kumar said the victim, identified as Vijay Haldar, 45, a resident of Bangali Tola near Bherihari village under Valmikinagar police station, had gone to an agricultural field adjoining the forest area of Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) when a tiger pounced on him, killing him on the spot.
“Soon after the incident, a team of forest personnel reached the spot and recovered the body,” the range officer said, describing the incident as a result of the victim ignoring warnings issued by the forest department.
