BALAGHAT — A woman in her 30s lost her life after being attacked by a tiger in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district in the early hours of Sunday. The fatal encounter occurred at Parrapur Baigatola village, situated under the Khapa range near the buffer zone of Kanha National Park, approximately 80 kilometres from the district headquarters.
Local residents reported that the victim, identified as Sugni Bai Dhurve, was sleeping inside a hut around 1:30 a.m. when the big cat entered the village premises. The animal grabbed her by the head and dragged her outside. Alerted by the family’s cries for help, villagers gathered with torches and rushed to intervene. The tiger dragged the woman for roughly 300 metres before relinquishing its grip and disappearing into the nearby forest.
The victim suffered severe head injuries and was immediately transported to a hospital in nearby Baihar, where attending doctors pronounced her dead. Assistant Director of the Sijhora Buffer Zone Ashish Pandey confirmed the tragic incident and noted that a detailed inquiry report would be prepared. Local law enforcement authorities registered a case of accidental death while further investigations remain ongoing.
Forest officials highlighted that human-wildlife conflicts have escalated in recent months, with tigers and leopards increasingly venturing into human habitations in the region. In response to the incident, the forest department announced plans to set up a cage in the area, intensify security patrols, and issue safety advisories urging residents to keep house doors closed at night and avoid entering the forest. Local representatives pointed out that the victim’s family resided in a shelter lacking a proper door, alleging that they had not received assistance under central socio-economic development schemes designed for vulnerable tribal groups.
