Woman mauled to death by tiger in Ranthambore

A woman from Sawai Madhopur city was mauled to death by a tiger in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on Thursday afternoon. The woman was accompanied by her friend, in front of whom the feline attacked, and as a result the woman was killed. The forest officials were informed, who found the body after a search operation was initiated. 

Notably, the women had entered the reserve to gather fuel wood. Guides and locals from the area suspect that a tigress could be behind the attack, who was recently seen in a disturbed state, after one of its female cub was recently shifted to Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve. Sources maintained that the tiger even chewed a portion of the woman’s hip when the body was found.

The attack occurred around 3 pm on Thursday afternoon when Lorti Bai, a resident of Koli Mohalla of Sawai Madhopur city, accompanied by another woman, had gone inside the reserve to collect wood.

“Lorti Bai had reached the Gada Doob area under Zone number one of the park and was collecting wood, while the two women were talking among themselves, a tiger suddenly sprang up from the bushes and attacked Lorti Bai. The woman shrieked and the other woman accompanying her fled from the spot. The tiger’s attack resulted in Lorti’s death,” officials said.

The panicked second woman approached the forest officials and informed them about the incident. 

“Senior Forest and police officials were informed who then rushed to the spot. The woman’s cloths were found but initially there was no sign of the body. A search operation was then initiated and the body was found lying some distance from the spot where the tiger had attacked. The body was recovered and taken to hospital where it was kept in the mortuary and the family members were contacted. A postmortem was then conducted and the body was handed to family members who at first refused to take the body. They demanded compensation from the forest officials who agreed to pay compensation according to the rules,” officials said.

It is suspected that a tigress that has made its territory in the area is behind the attack. “It could be that after one of her cubs was recently shifted to Mukundra, she might have been agitated and thus attacked the woman. We are trying to establish the identity of the feline behind the attack as it could be a male tiger also,” officials said.

Tragic End

• Attack occurred around 3 pm on Thursday afternoon when Lorti Bai, a resident of Koli Mohalla of Sawai Madhopur city, accompanied by another woman, had gone inside reserve to collect wood.
• The tiger even chewed a portion of the woman’s hip.