Shepherd killed in tiger attack in Chanda forest

Chandrapur: A shepherd was killed in tiger attack in Chikmara forest under Sindewahi forest range. Body of victim Santosh Naitam was recovered on Sunday morning.
Sources informed that Naitam, a resident of Chikmara village, had taken cattle for grazing into the forest on Saturday morning. By evening, the cattle returned home but Naitam did not. The villagers informed foresters about this and a search was carried out till late on Saturday evening to trace Naitam. The search operation was called off as it grew dark.
Search was resumed on Sunday morning and soon the foresters found Naitam’s mutilated body in compartment no. 266 under Chikmara beat of forest. The body was removed for postmortem after inquest formalities. The foresters claimed that the shepherd was killed in tiger attack. The kin of the victim have been given Rs25,000 as ex gratia aid.
People in the area have been warned of the tiger presence in the surrounding forest.
This is 25th human kill in the district this year. Of these, tigers have claimed 20 lives, while five were killed by leopards.