Saragur: A young farmer sustained injuries in a suspected tiger attack at a banana plantation at Bennegere village in Mulluru Gram Panchayat limits of Saragur taluk yesterday.  

The farmer who was injured in the wild animal attack is Kiran, son of late Madegowda of Bennegere village, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Mysuru. 

While Kiran and villagers claim that it was a tiger that had attacked, but at the outset, it is believed that it was a leopard that had attacked Kiran as a tiger attack would either leave the victim dead or seriously injured.   

It is said that Kiran along with five to six workers were working in the banana plantation belonging to Ravi of Bennegere village, when the wild animal attacked Kiran all of a sudden. It is the same spot where a tiger had killed a man eight months ago. 

As Kiran screamed for help,  labourers, working in neighbouring fields saw the wild animal, panicked and ran away. When they returned after a while, they claimed to have seen the tiger sitting on Kiran and began to scream. The tiger, hearing their screams left Kiran and ran towards the bushes. Kiran had sustained serious injuries on his chest, stomach and back. 

Meanwhile, villagers brought the incident to the notice of Forest Department officials and rushed to the help of Kiran besides expressing anger on the Forest Department. The villagers also demanded the capture and relocation of the tiger.