Human–wildlife conflicts are rising sharply across central India as big cats move closer to villages. In Mauganj’s Bandhwa Mod village, panic broke out on Tuesday morning after a leopard entered the home of BJP leader and former councillor CM Singh Patel.
The animal swiped at a child before escaping into the settlement. Forest officials responded quickly with tranquilliser guns and containment cages. Luckily, no serious injuries occurred, but the incident has sent local villagers into a huddle.
Known as India’s “Tiger State”, Madhya Pradesh harbours the country’s largest tiger population, with 785 individuals. Conservation efforts here are highly regarded nationally. However, the rise in big cat numbers has resulted in territorial skirmishes that are pushing these large carnivores closer to inhabited areas, leading to more frequent and dangerous encounters.
Just days ago, a fatal attack occurred in Balaghat’s Katangi forest, where Anil Bhalavi, 35, was killed while collecting tendu leaves. This marked the second death in the area within two weeks. Earlier, 50-year-old Prakash Pane also lost his life nearby under similar circumstances. Locals whisper about a man-eater believed to have strayed from Satpura.
On 5 January 2025, Jamuna Baiga, 48, was killed gathering firewood in Shahdol’s Birhuliya forest. In Chhindwara, farmer Gulab Warkade, 40, was attacked near Pench National Park on 14 January, followed by the death of 70-year-old Tulsiram Bhalavi in Seoni two days later. Meanwhile, in Panna Tiger Reserve, three tiger cubs separated from their mother dragged 58-year-old Phuliya Sahu into the forest, marking the reserve’s first human fatality caused by a big cat.
Within just one month, five people lost their lives to these predators across the region. Even Bhopal, the capital city, has experienced growing forays. In January, two big cats crossed a busy road in Chandanpura, startling pedestrians and causing a vehicle crash. Livestock killings have also increased near the outskirts, home to 22 of these animals. A viral video showing a tiger following a moving car intensified public concern.
Experts link the rise in encounters to the booming population, which has doubled nationally over the past decade to over 3,600. The state has expanded protected areas by designating Ratapani Tiger Reserve in December 2024 and Madhav National Park in March 2025 as its ninth reserve. However, each adult requires roughly 50 square kilometres of territory. Overcrowding, deforestation, and declining prey force these carnivores to venture closer to human habitats.
In Pench’s Chaurai region, villagers claim seven big cats and more than ten leopards are regularly seen near their homes. In Raisen district, two animals killed livestock in March, alarming settlements such as Imaliya and Neemkheda. In Marwahi, a GPS-tracked tigress killed a bull in December 2024.
Between 2022 and 2023, the area recorded 86 deaths from attacks by tigers or leopards—its second-highest toll in a decade. Nationally, such fatalities average 56 per year. Each loss fuels public fear. Most victims were crouching when attacked, a posture often mistaken for prey by these hunters due to their vision.
Authorities have adopted a mix of preventive measures. During the 2024 heatwave, artificial watering holes were maintained at the Nauradehi Sanctuary to prevent animals from wandering close to communities.
Conservationists recommend stronger interventions: relocating dangerous animals, constructing secure cattle enclosures, improving lighting and housing in villages, and sharing eco-tourism revenues with local communities. Solar fencing and alternative fodder supplies could reduce villagers’ forest visits.
Responding to the spike in attacks, the Madhya Pradesh government in April 2025 approved a Rs 145-crore plan to install chain-link fencing around the buffer zones at nine tiger reserves in the state. While the plans are a step in the right direction, they may take time to materialise. Until then, forest communities have few options but to survive in the shadow of the tiger's lunging claw.
KISHAN SINGH RANA n Bhopal
Human–wildlife conflicts are rising sharply across central India as big cats move closer to villages. In Mauganj’s Bandhwa Mod village, panic broke out on Tuesday morning after a leopard entered the home of BJP leader and former councillor CM Singh Patel.
The animal swiped at a child before escaping into the settlement. Forest officials responded quickly with tranquilliser guns and containment cages. Luckily, no serious injuries occurred, but the incident has sent local villagers into a huddle.
Known as India’s “Tiger State”, Madhya Pradesh harbours the country’s largest tiger population, with 785 individuals. Conservation efforts here are highly regarded nationally. However, the rise in big cat numbers has resulted in territorial skirmishes that are pushing these large carnivores closer to inhabited areas, leading to more frequent and dangerous encounters.
Just days ago, a fatal attack occurred in Balaghat’s Katangi forest, where Anil Bhalavi, 35, was killed while collecting tendu leaves. This marked the second death in the area within two weeks. Earlier, 50-year-old Prakash Pane also lost his life nearby under similar circumstances. Locals whisper about a man-eater believed to have strayed from Satpura.
On 5 January 2025, Jamuna Baiga, 48, was killed gathering firewood in Shahdol’s Birhuliya forest. In Chhindwara, farmer Gulab Warkade, 40, was attacked near Pench National Park on 14 January, followed by the death of 70-year-old Tulsiram Bhalavi in Seoni two days later. Meanwhile, in Panna Tiger Reserve, three tiger cubs separated from their mother dragged 58-year-old Phuliya Sahu into the forest, marking the reserve’s first human fatality caused by a big cat.
Within just one month, five people lost their lives to these predators across the region. Even Bhopal, the capital city, has experienced growing forays. In January, two big cats crossed a busy road in Chandanpura, startling pedestrians and causing a vehicle crash. Livestock killings have also increased near the outskirts, home to 22 of these animals. A viral video showing a tiger following a moving car intensified public concern.
Experts link the rise in encounters to the booming population, which has doubled nationally over the past decade to over 3,600. The state has expanded protected areas by designating Ratapani Tiger Reserve in December 2024 and Madhav National Park in March 2025 as its ninth reserve. However, each adult requires roughly 50 square kilometres of territory. Overcrowding, deforestation, and declining prey force these carnivores to venture closer to human habitats.
In Pench’s Chaurai region, villagers claim seven big cats and more than ten leopards are regularly seen near their homes. In Raisen district, two animals killed livestock in March, alarming settlements such as Imaliya and Neemkheda. In Marwahi, a GPS-tracked tigress killed a bull in December 2024.
Between 2022 and 2023, the area recorded 86 deaths from attacks by tigers or leopards—its second-highest toll in a decade. Nationally, such fatalities average 56 per year. Each loss fuels public fear. Most victims were crouching when attacked, a posture often mistaken for prey by these hunters due to their vision.
Authorities have adopted a mix of preventive measures. During the 2024 heatwave, artificial watering holes were maintained at the Nauradehi Sanctuary to prevent animals from wandering close to communities.
Conservationists recommend stronger interventions: relocating dangerous animals, constructing secure cattle enclosures, improving lighting and housing in villages, and sharing eco-tourism revenues with local communities. Solar fencing and alternative fodder supplies could reduce villagers’ forest visits.
Responding to the spike in attacks, the Madhya Pradesh government in April 2025 approved a Rs 145-crore plan to install chain-link fencing around the buffer zones at nine tiger reserves in the state. While the plans are a step in the right direction, they may take time to materialise. Until then, forest communities have few options but to survive in the shadow of the tiger's lunging claw.