Tiger Terror in Lakhimpur Kheri: Villagers Face Deadly Encounter
Enraged and fearful, a group of locals armed with sticks and sharp tools clubbed the tiger to death.
A chilling incident unfolded in Uttar Pradesh’s Lakhimpur Kheri district when a tiger strayed from the nearby Dudhwa Tiger Reserve attacked a woman in her home near Shankarpur village. The victim, identified as 45-year-old Kusum Devi, was alone when the tiger forced its way into her modest dwelling in the wee hours of the morning. Neighbors reported hearing her screams around 5 a.m. but by the time help arrived, the big cat had inflicted severe injuries, breaking her neck and leaving her lifeless on the floor.
The attack sparked immediate outrage and panic among villagers. Enraged and fearful, a group of locals armed with sticks, sharp tools, and makeshift weapons tracked down the tiger, which had retreated to nearby sugarcane fields. In a chaotic confrontation, the villagers beat the animal to death, with Kusum’s husband reportedly striking the fatal blow using a machete-like object, according to various news reports. Forest officials arrived too late to intervene, finding the tiger’s bloodied body surrounded by a crowd still reeling from the morning’s horror.
Divisional Forest Officer Sanjay Biswal confirmed that the tiger - a three years old - had likely wandered from the Dudhwa reserve, located just 20 km away. “This is a tragic loss on both sides,” Biswal said, noting that the animal may have been drawn to human settlements due to shrinking forest cover and prey scarcity. The incident marks the second tiger-related death in the district this year, following a January attack in a nearby village where a farmer was mauled while guarding his fields.
The killing of the tiger has ignited a broader debate. Wildlife activists condemned the villagers’ actions, arguing that the animal was a protected species under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, and that forest authorities should have acted faster to tranquilise and relocate it. Meanwhile, residents defended their response, citing a growing sense of insecurity.
Authorities have since deployed additional patrols and set up baited traps to monitor tiger movements near human settlements. The forest department has also promised compensation of ₹6 lakh to Kusum’s family, though villagers argue it’s insufficient compared to higher payouts in states such as Madhya Pradesh. As tensions simmer in Lakhimpur Kheri, this deadly clash highlights the escalating human-wildlife conflict in a region where dense forests and rural communities uneasily coexist. (with inputs from PTI)
