Two killed in animal attacks in UP  

A 30-year-old farmer was mauled to death by a tiger in Lakhimpur, while a woman was killed by a leopard in Bijnore district, police said on Friday.

The farmer, Surjeet Singh, was working in his field in Balrajpur village on Thursday, adjacent to Katarniaghat forest range of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, when the incident took place.

The tiger pounced on the farmer and dragged him inside the forest area. His mutilated body was found two hours later when the local people, who had seen the tiger attack the man, called the police and started searching for him.

After getting the information about the attack, forest department officials also rushed to the spot and assured villagers that the movement of the tiger would be monitored using camera traps and compensation would be provided to the victim's family.

Divisional forest officer, DTR buffer, Anil Patel said, "The tiger has killed a farmer and partially eaten his body. This is not a good sign. We will monitor the tiger's movements and try to push it back deep into the forest. Locals have been advised to work in groups and not go near the forest till the tiger is there."

In another incident, a 45-year-old woman was killed by a leopard on Wednesday in Nagina area of Bijnore district.

The woman, identified as Samala Devi of Nawada village, was working in a sugarcane field with her daughter and two sister-in-laws when the leopard attacked.

Julie, daughter of the deceased, said, "I went to collect fodder with my mother and two aunts. My mother was at the field when a leopard attacked her. My mother shouted for help. Soon, passers-by came and later, the police was also called in for rescue. But by the time police arrived, the leopard had already killed my mother."

However, forest authorities are suspecting it to be a case of foul play, as they claim that they have not found any pug-marks in the area.-IANS