Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Dec 30: One of the bullets fired by forest personnel to scare away a tiger which had strayed into the village and posed a danger to human life, hit a farmer and killed him. Before killing the farmer, Murthy (35), a resident of N Belathur village in H D Kote taluk in the district, the bullet had brushed through two persons including the local range forest officer.

The bullet in question, which was fired to force two tiger cubs and their mother, also injured range forest officer of Antarasanthe, Mahesh, and a farmer from Hosaholalu village named Kempaiah. Both were provided initial treatment at H D Kote general hospital before shifting them to the district hospital in the city.

On Thursday morning, a female tiger had settled down along with its two cubs in a banana plantation in Magge village under Antarasanthe range. After the villagers had informed forest department, the officials came there and tried to force the animals to retreat to the forest. When one of the cubs suddenly pounced on the people aggressively, officials fired in the air to scare it away. Pellets from the gun hit three, and Murthy, one among them, who received injuries to his chest and nose, collapsed on the spot. Murthy died at the hospital without responding to treatments

Kempaiah suffered severe injuries to his right hand and left leg.  The nature of injuries sustained by the range forest officer, who got injured on the left side, are relatively minor, it is gathered.