Tiger mauls a tribal woman to death in Wayanad

Wayanad: In a tragic incident, A 45-year-old tribal woman was mauled to death by a tiger, while she went to collect coffee beans from an estate at Pancharakolly village near Mananthavady in the district, on Friday.

Following the incident Chief Wildlife Warden(CWW) issued an order to shoot the tiger considered a man-eater.

The Rapid Response Team (RRT) of the Forest Department was asked to patrol the area

to provide security to the people till the tiger is caged or killed.

Police identified the deceased as Radha(45), the wife of Appachan, a temporary watcher of the Forest Department residing at Tharat Unnathiyil near Pancharakolly.

The body was found by the Thunderbolt squad of Kerala police, who were on patrolling duty in the Maoist threat area in Pancharakolly forest area. The back side of the head was partially eaten by the wild animal and the body was dragged into the forest from the human habitat area.

They also spotted the pugmarks of the tiger and alerted the Mananthavady police and Forest department personnel. The police team shifted the body from the spot to the resort office of Priyadarshini estate.

Following the incident, SC/ST Minister O R Kelu and the District Forest Officer (DFO) led team reached the resort office where the body was kept, but residents protested against the Minister and Forest officials for about three hours and did not allow to shift the body for post-mortem.

The body was allowed to be shifted for postmortem after Minister O R Kelu announced that the CWW on Friday had ordered a shoot-at-sight order to kill the tiger and a compensation of Rs five lakhs would be handed over to the kin of the victim, on Friday itself. He said the remaining Rs six lakhs compensation will be given later.

The Minister announced this after a meeting with the DFO, Revenue officials and political party representatives.

The Minister said that a job will be provided to the child of the victim.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister A K Saseedharan said "Steps will be taken by the Forest Department to tranquilise or cage the tiger. As part of this mission, the Rapid Response Team (RRT) of the Forest Department has also started efforts to trace the tiger."

Reports said that the woman is the eighth victim of tiger attack in Wayanad district within ten years.