Bamboo
In Balaghat, a 65-year-old villager was killed by a tiger while cutting bamboo in the forest near Nagjhar Sirpur. The man, Mangrulal Sarrati of Sirpur village, entered with seven others. When the group dispersed, a tiger struck. His body was later found half-eaten — the fourth fatal attack in eight months.
This tragedy carries a harsh reminder: forests are tiger territory, not bamboo fields for human exploitation. Villagers often enter to collect forest produce, sometimes illegally, and responsibility cannot be ignored. Tigers hunt because that is what they do. When people intrude into forests for firewood or bamboo, collisions are inevitable.
Officials promise action plans, but the deeper truth is clear: shrinking habitats and reckless resource use push both humans and tigers into conflict. Our feature on Human–Tiger Conflict shows why coexistence means alternatives for villagers, not blaming tigers for survival kills. The bamboo taken yesterday cost a man his life.
Based on Free Press Journal, India.
Photo via Free Press Journal.
