Bhubaneswar: Hours after local forest officials claimed that a Royal Bengal Tiger killed an elderly woman in Sunabeda sanctuary of Odisha’s Nuapada district, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Debidatta Biswal dismissed it, stating that she was mauled by a leopard.
“The animal that killed the woman in Sunabeda is not a RBT, but a leopard. We are keeping a close watch on the leopard while local residents have been warned,” the PCCF said.
He further stated that the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Nuapada has been directed to look into the matter and the bereaved family will be provided compensation as per the official provision.
Notably, Sunabeda forest ranger Shiba Prasad Khamar had stated earlier in the day that the woman, identified as Sanamti Barik (65), was mauled to death by RBT after examining the pug marks around the body and the pattern of attack.
The elderly woman of Jalamedhei village, located deep inside the sanctuary had ventured out of her house to relieve herself on Sunday night. The big cat on the prowl pounced on the woman and dragged her to a place.
Alarmed at the screams of the distressed woman, her family members and villagers rushed to her rescue, but found her mauled body. Later, a team of forest officials led by the ranger visited the spot. “Though the big cat was not sighted around there, the attack was apparently by an RBT given the pug marks and the pattern of attack on the woman,” the ranger had said.
