Two women killed in separate tiger attacks

Chandrapur: Two women were killed in separate incidents of tiger attacks in Porla forest range in Gadchiroli district on Monday. Experts suspect that the same tiger might have been involved in killing both the women as the incidents have taken place just 3km apart in two hours.
In the first incident, Kalpana Chaudhari (37) from Mahadwadi village was killed in the forest while she was out to collect tendu leaves along with other villagers in the morning. A tiger moving in the area suddenly attacked and killed her in compartment no. 566. The tiger fled hearing cries of other women.
In the other incident, Sindhubai Mungahate (57) from village Kuradi, just 3km from Mahadwadi, was killed in a tiger attack in compartment no. 54 of the same forest range. Mungahate too was out in the jungle to pluck tendu leaves.
Honourary wildlife warden of Gadchiroli Milind Umre said the incidents were accidental in both the cases as the tiger did not take away the kills. RFO of Porla range Changle claimed that there is a tigress with grown-up cubs in the area. It is likely that the cubs made the kills.
He claimed that the attacking tigers were scared away by fellow tendu collectors. He added that ex-gratia aid of Rs10,000 each was given to kin of the victims.