Saragur: Farming community are a worried lot following increase in man-animal conflicts at H.D. Kote and Saragur regions which have claimed lives of humans and livestock.

Yesterday afternoon, a farmer, identified as Balaji Nayak (40), was involved in ginger cultivation at his land adjacent to Hosakote connecting road in Moleyur Range, when a tiger, which suddenly appeared before him at about 1.30 pm, attacked him and dragged him into a trench where it devoured most of the body parts before fleeing.

As the news of Balaji Nayak, who was also the former Gram Panchayat Member, getting killed in tiger attack spread, villagers rushed to the spot and pulled up the body from the trench. The villagers expressed anger against the Forest Department and staged a protest at the spot.

Police, who came to the spot, managed to calm down the protesting farmers but none from the Forest Department arrived even after 7 pm, which angered the villagers and farmers, who again staged protest by keeping the body at the spot amidst rain.

Balaji is survived by his father Lakshminayak, mother Parvathi, wife Jyothi, daughters Aishwarya (PUC) and Soundarya (10th standard). Following the incident, a sense of fear has engulfed the villagers, who are afraid to step out of their houses and involve in agricultural activities.

Tahsildar Parashivamurthy, Sub-Inspector Nandeesh Kumar and staff Naganayak, Imran, Krishna, Anand, Prakash and Chandru, Gram Panchayat President Ajith Kumar, Members Devadas, Bettaswamy, Krishna and villagers were present                      at the spot.

MLA Anil Chikkamadu, who came to the spot at midnight, handed over the compensation cheque of Rs. 15 lakh to the deceased Balaji family members and assured of monthly pension to Balaji’s wife Jyothi and a job to one of the daughters in the Forest Department. Conservator of Forests (CF) Dr. Ramesh Kumar, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Parameshwar and staff were present.