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Fear has gripped several villages in Mysuru district after a tiger killed a cattle herder near Mullur village in Saraguru taluk on Sunday afternoon, the second such fatal attack in the district within a month. The victim, identified as Rajashekar Murthy (58), a resident of Mullur, was grazing his cattle in an open field when the tiger pounced on him, killing him on the spot, forest officials said. The animal then dragged the body a short distance before disappearing into nearby bushes. Following the incident, Forest Department officials from Hediyala and Saraguru, along with local police, rushed to the area and began search operations. Teams have been camping in the region to trace and trap the tiger. The attack has sparked anger and protests among residents of Mullur and neighbouring villages, who accused the Forest Department of negligence. They alleged that despite repeated complaints and sightings, the authorities had failed to capture the man-eating tiger. Villagers also pointed out that there are no dense forests near Mullur, yet tiger sightings have become frequent. Wildlife conservationist Joseph Hoover criticised the authorities, describing the situation as a “total administrative failure”. He urged them to remain on high alert and deploy the country’s best tiger experts to tackle the crisis. Expressing grief over the incident, Minister for Forests, Environment and Biology Eshwar Khandre said he was deeply saddened by the death. “This is a very painful incident. I pray for the soul of the deceased to rest in peace. I pray that God gives the strength to the family of the deceased to bear this pain,” he said in a statement. The minister added that he had instructed officials to take immediate steps to capture the tiger, which has now tasted human blood, and to provide compensation to the victim’s family. He also appealed to people living near forest areas to remain cautious and avoid venturing deep into the forest for grazing or work, especially when tiger movement is reported. This is the second tiger-related death in Mysuru district, which is also Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s home region, in less than a month. Earlier, a man was killed in a similar attack in Badagalpura village. Forest officials said operations to locate and tranquilise the tiger are ongoing, and teams from Bandipur and Nagarahole are assisting in the effort. (With inputs from PTI)
