Nagpur: In yet another incident of a tiger attack in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, a villager was killed in a forest area near Lohara, under the Markanda-Kansoba forest range, officials aware of the matter said.

The incident took place on Saturday morning. This marks the third incident in the past two weeks in the district.

The victim has been identified as Bapuji Nanaji Atram, a 45-year-old resident of Lohara village under Mulchera tehsil, said officials. His body was found in forest compartment number 293. Atram had gone to the forest this morning to collect firewood and was tragically mauled and killed by a tiger.

As Atram had not returned by noon, villagers initiated a search operation, leading to the discovery of his body in forest compartment number 293, said the officials mentioned above.

This incident follows two previous fatalities in the district. On January 7, Sushma Devdas Mandal (50) of Chintalpet village, was killed by tigresses while working in agricultural fields. In a similar incident, Ramabai Munjamkar (58) of Kodasapur, was killed on January 15. These incidents have instilled fear in nearby villages.

Aarti Madavi, the Range Forest Officer of Aheri, advised villagers against venturing into the forest alone, especially in the evening.

Amid growing concerns about the escalating conflict between humans and tigers in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts, forest department officials claimed to have captured 62 “unruly” tigers over the past 10 years.

Officials claim to have tranquillized and captured 62 ‘conflict’ tigers, comprising 35 males and 27 tigresses.

Four tigers were captured from the Gadchiroli forest circle while eight were captured from the Chandrapur Circle, since January this year alone, said officials.

Dr Ravikant Khobragade, veterinary officer and wildlife biologist, who is also a member of the task force, said that the forest department is contemplating relocating tigers to other areas due to their increasing numbers in the forests of Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts.

Six big cats have already been relocated from Chandrapur district to other parts of the forest area in Maharashtra, particularly the Nagzhira and Nagegaon Tiger projects, he said.