Monday, 18 July 2022 | PNS | Ramnagar
Villagers block NH seeking action to trap big cat
A man riding pillion on a motorcycle was killed by a tiger on national highway 309 near Mohaan in the Ramnagar area near the Corbett tiger reserve on Saturday night. The hands of the man were recovered from the jungle on Sunday. Meanwhile, local villagers blocked the highway in protest and were also met by senior Congress leader Harish Rawat.
Afsarul (25) and Anas from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh were coming back from Almora on a motorcycle after visiting the Kumaon region on a recreational visit. On Saturday night, a tiger attacked the riders and carried Afsarul who was riding pillion, into the jungle. A terrified Anas ran away from the spot and informed personnel at a nearby forest post about the incident. Personnel of Corbett tiger reserve, Forest department and police conducted a search operation in the jungle on Saturday night but were unable to find the missing youth. The search was resumed on Sunday after clearing the bushes in the jungle after which Afsarul’s hands and a portion of his body was found while most of his body was missing. Ramnagar forest division Kosi ranger Shekhar Tiwari confirmed that parts of the man’s body had been found and that the search operation had continued on Sunday. He appealed to the villagers to avoid going to the jungle alone and remain alert. Meanwhile, the villagers complained that they have been living in fear of a tiger for quite some time in the area. They claimed that people had seen four tigers in the area and that the big cats had so far killed a number of domesticated animals apart from attacking some villagers. Stating that they don’t feel safe sending their children to school, the villagers blocked the national highway while protesting against the Forest department. They have demanded that the tigers reportedly roaming in the village area be caught. Meanwhile, former chief minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat also reached the site and also talked to the district magistrate and other officials regarding the situation. Rawat said that people in this area have been living in fear of a tiger for months now but the public representatives of Ramnagar are not pressuring the Forest department to catch the big cat. Talking to the DM and Forest officials on the phone, he asked them to place cages to trap the tiger. He also said that he will talk to senior Forest officials regarding the situation.
