Gadchiroli herder fights off tiger with a stick, survives attack
A herder in Gadchiroli's Mulchera survived a tiger attack by fighting it off with a stick, hours after a mushroom collector was killed by a tiger nearby.
A tiger attack on a herder in the Thakurnagar forest of Mulchera tehsil in Gadchiroli district triggered panic across the area on Thursday afternoon. Ganesh Khitis Das was grazing his cattle when the tiger suddenly attacked him. Despite being injured, he did not give up and fought back with a stick he was carrying. After his resistance, the tiger retreated into the forest, saving Ganesh's life.
The incident occurred between around 3.30 pm and 4 pm on Thursday in compartment number 521 of the Mulchera forest range, an area under the Forest Development Corporation. Ganesh was grazing his cattle in the forest at the time. He did not notice the tiger hiding in dense bushes, and it suddenly leapt out and attacked him.
The tiger's claw struck Ganesh's face during the attack, leaving deep scratches and wounds on his lips, cheek and several other parts of his body. Despite being severely injured, Ganesh did not lose his composure. Taking support from a tree, he kept fending off the tiger with the stick, and eventually the tiger gave up and disappeared into the forest.
Even after the tiger left, Ganesh did not lose his nerve. Injured, he climbed a tree and used his mobile phone from there to inform people he knew in the village about the entire incident. On receiving the information, villagers along with staff from the forest department and the Forest Development Corporation rushed to the spot.
Forest Development Corporation forest circle officer Ganjiwar and forest department forest circle officer Nileshwar Wadighare reached the spot with their teams. The team brought Ganesh down safely from the tree and, after administering first aid, admitted him to the sub-district hospital in Chamorshi. According to doctors, Ganesh has severe scratches and wounds from the tiger's claws on his lips, cheek and other parts of his body, but his condition is now being described as out of danger due to timely treatment.
Notably, the same morning, the body of Balu Vitthal Raut (45), who had gone to Vasa Shivar in Gadchiroli tehsil to collect mushrooms, was found after a tiger attack. A few hours later, the tiger attacked Ganesh Das in Mulchera. These two tiger attacks in a single day have created an atmosphere of fear in villages bordering the forest.
Villagers in areas bordering the forest often have to go near the forest for farming and grazing cattle. Local people say the problem will not be solved merely by appeals for caution and putting up banners. Villagers have demanded that the forest department increase foot patrols in sensitive areas, monitor tiger movement through camera traps, and take concrete steps to prevent incidents of human-wildlife conflict.
