The incident occurred on Monday morning in Patna Mohli village under the Rahli Police Station area, near the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. Sudama Yadav, 31, had gone towards the forest adjoining the village at around 6 am when a tiger allegedly attacked him from behind.
According to local residents, the attack was sudden and violent. The force of the strike threw Yadav nearly 10 feet away and the tiger clamped its jaws onto his right arm, causing a deep wound. Claw marks were also found on his waist and back. Panic spread across the village and the Forest Department was informed. The injured man was subsequently shifted to Bundelkhand Medical College in Sagar.
Doctors said Yadav suffered a deep bite injury on his right arm that required nearly 10 stitches. His condition is stable and he is out of danger.
However, the incident took a dramatic turn after a video emerged showing an object apparently moving towards the tiger, followed by dust rising from the ground and the animal reacting sharply. The footage has raised questions over whether a shot was fired in the tiger's direction, possibly provoking the animal before it attacked the villager.
Speaking to NDTV, Right to Information activist and wildlife expert Ajay Dubey said Patna Mohli village falls within the sanctuary zone and questioned why the settlement had not been relocated despite funds reportedly being released for the purpose. He alleged that administrative negligence had intensified human-wildlife conflict in the region.
Dubey also questioned claims that Yadav had entered the forest to relieve himself, saying the explanation appeared fabricated. He further pointed out that a radio-collared tiger had previously disappeared from the same sanctuary under mysterious circumstances and that no accountability had been fixed in the matter.
Demanding an immediate high-level inquiry, Dubey said the video should be examined by experts to determine whether a bullet or any other projectile had been fired at the tiger.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests L Krishnamoorthy said that, based on the video, it appeared that something had struck the ground near the tiger, as dust could be seen rising from the spot. He confirmed that an investigation team had been dispatched to examine the matter.
A senior Forest Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the footage appeared to indicate a flat-angled shot. The official said it could possibly have originated from a .22 rifle, a pistol or a country-made firearm, although forensic examination would be required to confirm the assessment. The official added that the tiger appeared to turn towards that direction after hearing or sensing the impact.
The incident has transformed a case of human-wildlife conflict into a matter involving possible illegal firing inside a protected area, prompting demands for accountability and a thorough investigation into the circumstances that may have triggered the attack.
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