Farmer found dead in UP village; locals say tiger attack, forest officer finds no pug marks

Sitapur (UP), Aug 30 (PTI) Mystery shrouds the death of a 50-year-old farmer in a village here, with locals claiming that he was mauled to death by a tiger even as a forest officer maintained that no marks of tiger attack was found on the body, police said on Saturday.

According to police, the incident took place in Basara village in Sitapur district on Friday evening.

Locals informed them that Rakesh Verma, a farmer, had been working in his field when a tiger came out of the bushes and attacked him from behind, killing him on the spot.

Hearing his screams, farmers from nearby fields rushed to his rescue, but the tiger dragged his body. However, when they continuously followed it by making noise, the tiger left the body and fled, the police were informed.

On receiving information about the incident, the forest department officials and local administration team reached the spot, examined the body and sent it for post-mortem.

Meanwhile, Sitapur Divisional Forest Officer Naveen Khandelwal said that prima facie, no marks of tiger attack have been found on the body nor have any tiger footprints been found at the scene.

A forest department team has collected necessary samples and information from the spot, and an investigation is on, Khandelwal said, adding that more clarity will emerge once the reports come. PTI COR NAV RUK RUK