Daijiworld Media Network - Mysuru (SP)

Mysuru, Feb 1: The man eater tiger that had claimed the life of a man three days back at Gundre village within D B Kuppe forest range of Nagarahole national park, dragged away another man at Sebinakolli and killed him.

The person who is the latest victim of the tiger, happens to be Mara alias Kaddi (58) from Timmanahosalli Hadi. He was digging for sweet potato inside the forest on Thursday evening when the tiger suddenly pounced upon him, held his head in its mouth, an dragged him about 50 metres away. Nagaraja, who was with the man, grew fearful, but chased the tiger with a backhoe in hand. The tiger then fled from there, leaving the body of Mara.

By the time Nagaraja went near Mara and checked, he had lost his life. Forest officials who came to the spot thereafter, conducted scrutiny.

This tiger had attacked and killed Chinnappa from Gundre when he was sitting in front of fire he had lit to ward of cold climate on January 28 morning. On December 23, Madhukrishna from Manimoolel Hadi, who had visited the forest to collect firewood, had lost his life to the tiger attack.

As soon as the third death came to light, over 300 villagers from nearby areas got together at Machchoor village on Manandawady main road on Thursday, blocked highway by placing wooden logs and tyres, and protested. They warned that the protest would be intensified if the killer animal is either gunned down or trapped.

The forest department has been hunting for the said tiger with the help of five domesticated elephants through out the day and night since the last five days but to no avail.