Special Correspondent
Chandrapur: In a tragic incident on Sunday, a 60-year-old man lost his life following a tiger attack in the Bramhapuri area of Chandrapur district, Maharashtra. The victim, Vinayak Jambhule, was a resident of Chichkheda village and was reportedly collecting mahua flowers in compartment 1003 of the North Forest Range when he was attacked.
Forest department officials conducted a site inspection (panchnama), and Jambhule’s body was sent for post-mortem examination. His family has been provided with ₹25,000 as immediate financial compensation by the authorities.
In a related wildlife operation, three missing tiger cubs were safely located and captured in Mul tehsil during the early hours of the same day. These cubs are the offspring of a tigress previously captured on April 9, who was responsible for three human fatalities. At the time of her capture, the cubs had gone missing, prompting a large-scale search effort.
Forest officials deployed 50 camera traps, drones, and AI-assisted tracking tools across the Mul and Saoli forest ranges to find the cubs. Once located, they were tranquilised by shooter Ajay Marathe and safely transferred to the Transit Treatment Centre (TTC). The cubs are reported to be in good health.
The Vidarbha region, particularly Chandrapur district, has emerged as a leading area in India’s tiger conservation efforts. The Tadoba Tiger Reserve and the adjoining Chandrapur Complex — encompassing the Bramhapuri, Chandrapur, and Central Chanda forest divisions — have witnessed a steady increase in tiger numbers over the last decade.
According to the 2022 All India Tiger Estimation (AITE), the region now supports an estimated 250 tigers across 11,171 square kilometers. Chandrapur district is now recognised as the district with the highest tiger population globally.
The Bramhapuri Forest Division alone has seen a 1.5-fold increase in its tiger population compared to the 2018 census, highlighting the effectiveness of conservation efforts — even as they bring new challenges in managing human-wildlife conflict.
