Villagers in Ramnagar Clash with DFO Over Tiger Attack Victim’s Compensation

Ramnagar/Nainital : A tragic incident occurred in Ringauda village when Tulsi Devi, a local woman, was killed by a tiger while collecting fodder on Wednesday morning. Upon hearing the news, the villagers blocked National Highway 309 by placing her body on the road, causing a major traffic jam. The villagers were visibly angry and refused to allow any vehicles, except ambulances, to pass.

Ram Nagar Forest Division’s DFO Diganth Nayak arrived at the scene to calm the situation and assured the villagers that compensation would be provided to the victim’s family. However, this attempt only angered the villagers further, who demanded more direct action. They said, “We pay money to the forest department, so you should kill the tiger.”

The DFO responded by stating that action would be taken according to the rules. The situation escalated into a heated argument between the DFO and the villagers. The villagers also raised concerns over basic amenities, demanding improvements to water, electricity, and mobile services in their village.

Despite DFO’s efforts to assure the villagers that their demands would be addressed at the government level, the villagers insisted on a written commitment. Later, Nainital MLA’s representative Madan Joshi arrived at the scene, furthering the dialogue. He assured the villagers that water tanks would be built using MLA funds, and the education of the victim’s child would be supported. This written commitment was signed by the DFO, Tehsildar, and the MLA’s representative, after which the villagers lifted the blockade.

This tragic event marks one in a series of recent tiger attacks in the region, with nine people having lost their lives in tiger-related incidents within the past year. The growing number of attacks has caused immense distress among local residents.