Youth killed by tiger in Ramnagar
By Arun Pratap Singh
Ramnagar/Dehradun, 26 May: The fear of tiger attacks in the Ramnagar region of Nainital district is growing with each passing day. In yet another tragic incident, a tiger killed a youth in Sakkanpur village, which falls under the Terai Western range of the Ramnagar Forest Division. The deceased, identified as Vinod Kumar, aged 35, son of Jabar Singh and resident of Sakkanpur Pirumdara, was attacked early this morning at around nine o’clock.
Vinod had gone to the forest along with some other villagers to collect wood for a family wedding. While they were gathering wood near Kamdevpur village on the edge of the forest, the tiger suddenly pounced on him, grabbing hold and dragging him nearly a hundred metres into the jungle. Alarmed villagers raised a hue and cry, forcing the tiger to abandon Vinod and retreat into the bushes. Despite rushing him to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries on the way.
The tragic incident has left the entire village gripped with fear and anger. His brother, Rakesh Kumar, along with other villagers, has demanded strict action from the forest department to rid the area of the terror posed by the tiger. The officials of the forest department, along with SDO, Terai Western, Manish Joshi, reached the site as well as the hospital, where they confirmed that Vinod had suffered fatal injuries in the attack and could not be saved. While completing necessary legal formalities, higher officials have been alerted about the tiger’s movement. The forest department has also issued an appeal urging people not to venture into the forest alone or without proper precautions.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case, as Uttarakhand has been witnessing a worrisome rise in human-wildlife conflicts over the past few years. Similar incidents involving tigers and leopards have sent shockwaves through different parts of the state.
It may be recalled that in April 2025, a leopard mauled a 10-year-old boy to death while he was playing outside his house in a village near Ramnagar. The leopard was later declared a man-eater, and efforts are still underway to capture it. The previous month in Haldwani, a woman collecting fodder lost her life in a tiger attack, leaving villagers petrified and unwilling to step into the forest. February 2025 saw another horrifying incident when a leopard entered a residential area in Almora, injuring two children before being chased away by locals. In January, a forest guard lost his life while patrolling the buffer zone of Corbett Tiger Reserve after being ambushed by a tiger.
In Uttarakhand, leopard attacks on human beings have been far more common for a long time as compared to the tiger attacks. However, the incidents of tiger attacks, particularly in the Terai region are now becoming an issue of major concern and they require certain big measures on the part of the forest department.
Such recurring attacks have raised serious concerns about the safety of people residing near forests, highlighting the growing danger of man-animal conflicts. Increasing encroachment into wildlife habitats and diminishing natural prey in the forests as well as reducing forest cover are forcing wild animals to move closer to human settlements in search of food, leading to devastating consequences for both humans and animals alike.
It has become imperative for authorities in the state to take immediate and concrete measures to curb this crisis. Strengthening patrolling, installing warning systems, and spreading awareness among villagers regarding the risks of entering forests without safety precautions can be crucial steps in this direction. Additionally, the government needs to ensure swift compensation and aid to families affected by these tragedies. The rising number of tiger and leopard attacks in Uttarakhand demands urgent intervention from both the administration and the public.
