Terrified villagers set ablaze huts to keep off Tiger

28 Jan 2009, 0412 hrs IST, Bipin Chand Agarwal, TNN

BAHRAICH: Villagers of several villages are terrified over the reports that a tiger has entered the area. Nine persons of Shyamlalpurwa village set ablaze their thatched huts to scare away the beast.

The tiger reportedly injured one person of Chahlarighat village and took away three cattle. The terrified villagers came out on the road on Saturday morning, along with a team of the forest department and policemen in search of the tiger but in vain.

The villagers of Rausa in the bordering Sitapur district cornered the beast. Thereafter, it crossed the Ghaghra river and entered Hardi area of Bahraich. The villagers spotted the tiger sitting on a mound. The forest department constituted four teams and sent them in the area. Superintendent of police OP Sagar had instructed the station officers (SOs) of bordering area of Sitapur district to remain alert. The villagers had to maintain vigil with lathis, dandas and other sharp-edged weapons and lit firebone to scare away the tiger.

The children could not sleep due to terror of the tiger. The villagers did not open their doors.

Meanwhile, the tiger attacked Ramlal, a resident of Chahlarighat, injuring him seriously. He has been hospitalised. According to the villagers, three cattle are also missing. A

About 50 families reside in Shyamlalpurwa village. All of them are poor and could not afford pucca houses.

In the meantime, a word spread that the tiger was coming towards the village and will enter in a short time. Kallu, Sanjeewan, Ram Milan, Balak Ram, Chotelal, Khelawan, Naresh, Anantram and Ram Meet set blaze their thatched huts in order to scare away the tiger.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Allahabad/Terrified_villagers_set_ablaze_huts_to_keep_off_Tiger/articleshow/4038327.cms
http://bigcatrescue.org