Jaipur, Jun 9: In a tragic incident, a tiger attacked and killed a 60-year-old priest inside the historic Ranthambore Fort on Monday morning. The deceased has been identified as Radheshyam Saini, a resident of Sherpur village, who had been serving at the Jain temple in the fort for the past two decades.

According to reports, the priest had gone out for his morning routine when the tiger struck. This marks the third fatal tiger attack in the area within the last two months.

The shocking incident has triggered public anger. Local residents blocked the Sawai Madhopur-Kundera road, blaming the Forest Department for negligence.

Villagers alleged that despite previous attacks, no effective action has been taken to protect people living in and around the forest zone.

The Forest Department had issued an advisory only on Sunday, restricting the entry of civilians into the Ranthambore Fort due to increased tiger movement in the region.

Locals are now demanding adequate compensation for the bereaved family and stricter safety protocols.

Earlier, on April 21, a 7-year-old boy was mauled by tigress Kanakati near the Trinetra Ganesh temple. The child was returning with his grandmother when the tigress emerged from the forest and snatched him.

The attack took place in the Amarai forest area.

On May 12, a forest ranger was fatally attacked while on patrol near Jogi Mahal in Zone 3 of the Tiger Reserve. The tiger pounced on him near the Chhoti Chhatri area, targeting his neck and sitting on the body for nearly 20 minutes post the attack.

All three attacks -- April 21, May 12, and June 9 -- have occurred within a 2 km radius of the Ranthambore Fort.

Experts believe this concentrated pattern is alarming and necessitates immediate action, including relocation of tigers or stricter human entry control. As the community mourns the loss of a priest, the focus now shifts to what preventive steps authorities will take to ensure human-wildlife conflict in the region does not escalate further, said locals.

(IANS)

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