What began as a frightening case of a tiger attacking a villager in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district has taken a far more disturbing turn after a video surfaced, raising serious questions over whether the animal was fired at.
The incident took place on Monday morning in Patna Mohli village under the Rahli police station area, close to the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve. The injured man, Sudama Yadav (31), had gone towards the forest adjoining the village around 6 am when a tiger allegedly attacked him from behind.
According to accounts by local residents, the attack was swift and terrifying. The force of the tiger’s strike threw Yadav nearly 10 feet away and the animal clamped its jaws onto his right arm, leaving a deep wound. Claw marks were also found on his waist and back. Panic spread through the village and the forest department was alerted, after which the injured man was taken to Bundelkhand Medical College in Sagar.
Doctors said Yadav had suffered a deep bite injury on his right arm, which required nearly 10 stitches. His condition is currently stable and he is said to be out of danger.
However, the story did not end with the attack.
A video that has now surfaced has triggered suspicion. In the footage, an object appears to move towards the tiger, followed by dust rising from the ground and the tiger reacting sharply. This has led to questions over whether a shot was fired in the tiger’s direction, possibly provoking the animal before it attacked the villager.
Speaking to NDTV, Right To Information (RTI) activist and wildlife expert Ajay Dubey said Patna Mohli village falls within the sanctuary zone and questioned why it had not been relocated despite funds reportedly being released for the purpose. He alleged that administrative negligence had escalated human-wildlife conflict in the area to a dangerous level.
Dubey also questioned the version that the man was attacked while he had gone to the jungle to defecate. He claimed this explanation appeared fabricated and pointed out that a radio-collared tiger had earlier disappeared from the same sanctuary under mysterious circumstances, with no accountability fixed.
Demanding an immediate high-level inquiry, Dubey said the video should be examined by experts to determine whether a bullet or any other projectile had been fired at the tiger.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests L Krishnamoorthy said that, based on the video, it does appear that something hit the ground near the tiger, as dust can be seen rising from the spot. He confirmed that a team has been sent to investigate the matter.
A senior Forest Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the footage appeared to show a flat-angled shot. The official said it could possibly be from a .22 rifle, pistol or country-made firearm, though this would require forensic confirmation. The official added that the tiger appeared to turn in that direction after hearing or sensing the impact.
