Leopard kills woman in Tadoba

Chandrapur: A woman from village Arjuni was killed in a leopard attack in the jungle on the border of core and buffer zones of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve on Saturday. Victim Tulsabai Kedar (62) was killed on Saturday evening, but her body was recovered on Sunday morning.
Sources said Tulsabai and other women from the village had gone to Hanuman temple in Arujuni-Kokewada forest along the border of core zone of TATR on Saturday. While returning home in the evening, she started collecting some firewood for the evening meal. A lurking leopard attacked here while she was bent down and busy collecting sticks. The other women saw the beast attacking her and fled to the village.

A group of villagers later ventured into the forest to search for her, but failed to find her body as it grew dark. They then informed TATR officials, and the search resumed on Sunday morning with the forest team. Her dead body was recovered in the forest at the border of the two zones. The body was sent for post mortem to Warora sub-district hospital and her kin were given ex gratia aid for her funeral rites, sources in TATR informed.

This is the 18th human death in predator attack in this year in the district. Tigers have claimed 13 lives so far, whereas leopards have killed three others. A sloth bear and wild boar too have killed one each. Villagers have been warned against venturing into the forest following the incidents.