Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), June 8 (IANS): A tigress attacked two farmers of Richhaula village under Gajraula police station of Pilibhit, critically injuring them on Sunday.

The two men have been identified as Ram Singh (45) and Balkar Singh (58).

Medical officer on emergency duty at district government hospital, Dr Sanjeev Saxena, said, "Ram Singh has been referred to King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow as he has sustained severe head injuries."

The tigress attacked Ram Singh when he was resting under a tree in a field near his house, around 800 metres away from the forest area of Mala range.

Hearing him scream, Ram Singh's neighbour, Balkar Singh, rushed to rescue him, but the tigress attacked him too. The big cat disappeared into the forest area only when other villagers came running to rescue the two farmers.

Agitated villagers have now warned the forest officials that they would kill the tigress if she strayed again into their village.

Field director of PTR, H. Rajamohan, said, "We are left with no other option, but to tranquilize the tigress and transfer her to a safe forest zone as the farmers have warned that they would kill the animal. For this, we have sought permission from UP's chief wildlife warden."

Earlier, on the night of April 2, another five-year-old tiger had killed two villagers while they were asleep on their farmland. The tiger was later tranquilized and shifted to Kanpur zoo.