NEW DELHI—Sundari, a tigress relocated from Madhya Pradesh to Odisha's Satkosia Tiger Reserve to boost its tiger population in June this year, has been blamed for allegedly killing two local residents and grievously injuring a television journalist who went to cover one of the deaths, The Hindustan Times reported.
Sundari's relocation was carried out under India's first interstate translocation drive. However, it quickly became unpopular with local residents as they believe she has carried out the three attacks. The first killing, of a woman named Kailashi Soy, occurred in September.
According to HT, the latest attacks happened on Saturday, when the tigress allegedly killed 65-year-old Trinath Sahu on the outskirts of the reserve when he was on his way to fish at a pond. Some hours after that, Sundari apparently mauled local TV journalist Raghunath Sahu when he went to report on the attack. The Divisional Forest Officer for Satkosia, V Karthick, told HT that the reporter was admitted to the Angul district hospital and was said to be critical.
Odisha TVreported that protesting villagers have torched a police vehicle and pelted stones at police and senior government officials.