Another mahua flower collector killed by tiger

Vijay Pinjarkar | TNN | Apr 15, 2020, 04:47 IST

Nagpur: A 56-year-old man collecting mahua flowers was mauled by a tiger in the Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Maharashtra, in the West Pench range of the park on Monday evening.
This is the fifth fatal case in the last six days in the region where mahua collectors were killed by tigers. Yet, mahua flower collection, being a vital livelihood activity for local villagers, continues unabated in forested villages.
Pench field director Ravikiran Govekar told TOI that a woman and her husband from Ghatpendhari village entered the core area of Pench to collect mahua flowers on April 13.
While collecting flowers, husband Anand Uikey (56) was attacked and dragged by a tiger. After getting information, the forest staff rushed to the spot. The search continued till late in the evening and Uikey’s body was recovered from compartment number 672 in the South Ghatpendhari beat.
“This appears to be a chance encounter as villagers had ventured deep into the forest. There is no other related case in this area so far. The area is being monitored by forest staff and villagers have been told not to venture inside the forests. The department is helping the family of the deceased in all ways possible,” said Govekar.
On April 8, two persons, including a woman from Satara near Kolara in the buffer zone of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and a 20-year-old girl from Khamba in MP Pench’s buffer, were killed by tigers in separate incidents.
On April 11, one more mahua collector from Kawdapeth in the Mul forest range was killed by a tiger in the forest area. In all, 10 people have been killed in wild animal attacks in Chandrapur district alone since January this year.
Even as people are being attacked, there is no scare. During a visit to the Pench tiger reserve’s buffer, TOI found locals venturing deep into the forest to collect mahua flowers.
“We sell this produce to brokers after drying it. We get between Rs25-40 per kg. Though mahua flowers are used for various reasons, they are mostly sold to make liquor,” said a section of collectors from Khursapaar and Bandra in the buffer zone of Pench reserve.