Pilibhit: A 35-year-old man was mauled by a tiger in the core area of Pilibhit tiger reserve’s Mala forest range on Thursday morning when he was collecting firewood along with two others.The incident, the third since August 18 in Garha compartment of Mala forest range, has again brought to the fore that despite repeated claims, forest authorities have failed to curb human trespassers from entering the forest area to collect firewood and other forest produce.According to gram pradhan of Nadha village Sundar Lal, victim Shri Krishna had gone deep into Garha compartment along with two others villagers — Bheem Sen and Lakhan Prasad — to collect firewood. They were working close by when a tger attacked Shri Krishna.Hearing his screams, the other two rushed to his aide. Their cries forced the tiger to flee.The two then took the injured Krishna to the village from where he was shifted to the district hospital with the help of other villagers, Sundar Lal said. Krishna had sustained deep injuries in his head and arms, he added.Earlier on September 19, 45-year-old Ganga Devi of Gajraula Mustakil village had been injured by a tiger while collecting firewood while a villager, Ram Chander, of Barha village, had been mauled to death by a tiger on August 18 when he had trespassed into the forest area.Asked about the failure of forest officials from stopping villagers from trespassing into the forest, conservator of forest VK Singh said he had asked divisional forest officer Kailash Prakash to report in writing which official or field staff team was liable for intrusion by villagers. He said from now, the DFO would be held responsible for any illegal entry of villagers in any part of PTR’s core area.

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