Jaipur, Aug 15 (IANS): A tiger that escaped from the Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan's Alwar has attacked at least five people, including a railway employee, in Khairthal-Tijara district of the state.

According to officials, railway employee Vikas Kumar, a resident of Basni village, reached Ajarka (Khairthal-Tijara) railway station at around 5 a.m. on Thursday. He called his brother to pick him up from the railway station. While Kumar was waiting for his brother, the tiger (ST 2303) suddenly attacked him.

However, seeing a bike coming towards them, the tiger fled from there. Kumar was grievously injured in the attack and one of his hands was bitten off by the tiger.

After attacking Kumar, the tiger went towards the nearby Darbarpur village. Around 11 a.m., the tiger also attacked three persons, identified as Satish (45), Binu (30) and Mahendra (33).

All three have been referred to the Alwar District Hospital. Earlier in the early morning, the tiger had attacked another youth in the district.

Darbarpur Sarpanch Veer Singh said that the people of the village are scared because of the tiger. The government school has been closed.

In the past as well, tiger ST 2303 had fled the Sariska forest. Nearly seven months ago, the tiger was spotted in Haryana's Rewari. The tiger had then attacked some forest workers at a village near the Rajasthan-Haryana border.

The tiger had also attacked a 75-year-old farmer near Bhiwadi in Khairthal-Tijara district, nearly 100 km away from the park, in January this year.

Villagers are advising people in the surrounding areas not to leave their homes.