Vaishali Balajiwale
Sunday, March 02, 2008 03:21

ISTNASHIK: While the leopards have chosen Nashik as their abode, tigers also seem to indicate their preference for the area.If the youth who was attacked by a wildcat in Mhasruli, near Trimbakeshwar, near Nashik is to be believed, he was attacked by a black striped wild cat!

Vijay Tambe, 22, had gone to visit his uncle Shantaram at his farm on Feb 29, 2008. The story goes that as Vijay was leaving his house in the afternoon to return to Nashik, a wild animal pounced on him from the right side. A frightened Vijay began to scream and by the time his uncle and other villagers emerged, the animal had also gone for Vijay’s neck. In the commotion, the animal ran away, Tambe says.

Going by the description of Vijay and the villagers, the animal was about 5 to 6 feet long and 2.5 feet tall and has prominent black strips.

The villagers say that a tiger had been sited in the area in the days preceding the attack and had informed the local forest officer.

“We are not sure if it is a tiger. This is what villagers have reported. We have put a cage in the area to trap the animal,” says Warungase, range forest officer, Trimbakeshwar.

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