A tiger named Shivaji, at Jaipur’s Nahargarh Biological Park, attacked a female worker, leaving her dead and triggering panic at the park and in nearby villages.
Residents say the women had gone into the enclosure on Tuesday to cut grass and returned Wednesday morning to collect more. The victim has been identified as Sugna Devi. Eyewitnesses say the other women ran for safety, some climbed the fencing and nearby trees to escape while Shivaji seized Sugna Devi and fatally mauled her. An employee named Hansa reportedly opened the enclosure not knowing the women were inside. Once alerted, a forest team reached the scene, tranquilised and controlled the tiger, and recovered the victim’s body. The women who were on the fencing and in trees were brought to safety. Local residents protested after the incident. Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Ashish Vyas, police officer Piyush, and local MLA Prashant Sharma met with villagers. The DCF assured swift action against any negligent staff. Villagers demanded CCTV footage review and pointed out Sugna Devi was the family’s main earner, her husband is recovering from severe burns after an electrocution. Talks between the forest department, police and the MLA on compensation are ongoing.
The incident occurred in enclosure number 16, where six to seven women were cutting grass when the tiger Shivaji suddenly entered and attacked.
Officials said the government will be asked to provide financial aid to the victim’s family and to consider offering a contractual zoo caretaker job for the woman’s children.
