Tiger Attack Kills Woman in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat District

A woman in her 30s died after being attacked by a tiger in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district during the early hours of Sunday, officials said. The incident occurred at Parrapur Baigatola village under the Khapa range of Kanha National Park, around 80 kilometres from the district headquarters. The victim, identified as Sugni Bai Dhurve, was reportedly sleeping in a hut when the tiger entered the village and attacked her. The incident has once again highlighted concerns over increasing human-wildlife conflict in forest-fringe areas of the state.

According to villagers, the tiger entered the settlement at around 1.30 am and grabbed Sugni Bai Dhurve by the head before dragging her away. Family members raised an alarm, prompting residents to rush to the spot with torches in an attempt to rescue her. The animal reportedly dragged the woman for nearly 300 metres before abandoning her and retreating into the nearby forest. Villagers immediately shifted her to a hospital in Baihar for treatment.

Despite medical efforts, the woman succumbed to her grievous head injuries, Block Medical Officer Dr Anant Lilhare confirmed. Police have registered a case of accidental death, and further investigation is underway. Assistant Director of the Sijhora Buffer Zone, Ashish Pandey, confirmed the incident and said a detailed report would be prepared following an official inquiry into the attack and the circumstances surrounding it.

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Forest officials said the village has witnessed several incidents of tigers and leopards venturing into human habitations in recent months, raising concerns among local residents. In response to the latest attack, the forest department announced that it would install a cage in the area to monitor and capture the animal if necessary. Authorities also said patrolling in the region would be intensified to reduce the risk of further encounters.

Officials urged residents living near forested areas to remain vigilant, keep house doors securely closed during the night, avoid entering forests unnecessarily, and ensure that children and elderly family members are not left unattended outdoors after dark. The victim's family will receive financial assistance in accordance with government norms for wildlife attack victims, the forest department said, while assuring continued monitoring of the affected area.

Meanwhile, local representatives claimed that Sugni Bai Dhurve's family lived in a hut without a door and alleged that they had not benefited from a central government welfare scheme aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of particularly vulnerable tribal groups. They called for greater support for families residing in remote forest settlements, stating that improved housing and stronger preventive measures could help reduce the risk of such tragic incidents in areas where wildlife frequently comes into contact with human populations.

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