Nuapada: A Royal Bengal Tiger from Sunabeda Sanctuary dragged an elderly woman from the backyard of her house at Jalamadai village of Sosenga panchayat in Odisha’s Nuapada district and mauled her to death on Sunday.
According to reports, the elderly woman, identified as 65-year-old Sanamati Barik, was collecting timber from the backyard of her house located inside the sanctuary when the big cat came rushing and clawed her.
As villagers rushed to the spot with sticks and other traditional weapons, the marauding tiger fled to the jungle leaving behind a half-mauled body.
On being informed, Forest department officials and staff reached the spot and sent the body for post-mortem. At the same time, the villagers have been sensitised. Sunabeda forest ranger Shiba Prasad Khamar confirmed the killing of the woman after examining the pug marks around the body and the pattern of attack on the deceased.
It may be noted here that a tiger had dragged away a calf from a cowshed in Taria Mahua Bhatt village under the Nuapada range area a few weeks back.
As a result, villagers of Jalamadai and nearby habitations are in a state of fear since Sunday’s incident.
