tiger
A 34-year-old man was mauled to death by a tiger while collecting leaves used to make eco-friendly utensils in the forests of Rishikesh range in Lal Tappar area of Dehradun district on Friday. This marks the ninth human death from tiger attacks in the state this year.

Officials said a male tiger, recently relocated from Corbett to Rajaji Tiger Reserve, had been exploring new territory and moving between Tapovan and Rajaji over the past 20 days but has since returned to the reserve.

The area is also home to a tigress, and it is yet to be determined which animal was responsible for the attack, officials added.

The victim, identified as Raju (only first name available), had entered the forest with his brother around 9.30am when the tiger attacked them. His brother, Sanju, ran for help, but by the time others arrived, Raju had died. Officials noted that the body was intact, suggesting it was an accidental encounter rather than a predatory attack.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 1.5 lakh has been given to the family, and the remaining compensation to follow upon completion of formalities," said Dehradun DFO Neeraj Sharma.

The recent tiger movement from Motichur to Rishikesh and Barkot forest ranges underscores the ecological connectivity of the Kansrao-Motichur-Barkot wildlife corridor.