Chandrapur tiger attack: 5 women killed in 3 days

Chandrapur: A 30-year-old woman was mauled to death by a tiger in eastern Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district on Monday morning, a fifth woman to die in an attack by a big cat in three days, a forest official said.

Bhuvaneshwari Bhendre (30), a resident of Bhadurni village, was attacked by a tiger around 7 in the morning while she was collecting tendu leaves in the forest along with some other members of her family, said the senior official.

The incident took place in Mul range under the buffer zone of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

The body was retrieved and sent to hospital for autopsy, the official said, adding the family will be paid initial compensation and the final compensation will be given after necessary formalities are completed.

The district has witnessed five deaths in tiger attacks in the last three days.

Three women were killed by a tiger in Sindewahi forest area while they were collecting tendu leaves on May 10.

The following day a 65-year-old woman was killed by a tiger while collecting tendu leaves in Chichpalli range under Mul tehsil.

Tendu leaves are used for `bidi’ or leaf cigarette manufacturing and collecting these leaves is a major source of income in the region.