A tigress from a nearby forest reserve killed a farmer while he was working in the field and, along with her cubs, ate the body in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, eyewitnesses said here Tuesday.
The tigress pounced upon Prahlad Madavi, 55, Monday while he was plucking pulse legumes in his field, an eyewitness said. His field is about 500 metres from the Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, said residents of Kawada village in Yavatmal district.
"The tigress, followed by her two cubs, literally tore apart the farmer's body and ate it. The head, legs and hands were severed from the body," an eyewitness added.
Though officially not confirmed, villagers in the vicinity of the sanctuary claim to have sighted at least three tigers in the forest during the last one year.
According to residents of the Kawada village, there is no boundary wall between the village and the forest reserve.
"The fact that the tigress ventured into the village shows that her entire family was very hungry, which in turn could be because of scarce or no prey in the area," said Kishor Tiwari, a farmer activist who visited place.
"We want urgent corrective action and Rs.5 lakh compensation to Madavi family. Also, the long pending proposal for constructing a boundary wall should be undertaken at the earliest, he added.
Forest officials remained unavailable for comment.