Mentally ill man enters core area of Pench for a swim, devoured by tiger

Bhopal: A 30-year-old man undergoing treatment for a mental ailment was mauled to death after he entered a waterhole for a swim in a core area dominated by around 10 tigers inside Pench National Park in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh. Later, villagers, many allegedly under the influence of mahua liquor, went on a rampage demanding Rs 25 lakh compensation for the victim's family. The victim, Dinesh Sewatkar, a resident of Naharjhir village located barely 300 metres from the core boundary, had allegedly strayed into the protected forest on Monday evening. Investigators said he entered a natural waterhole, a critical resource point frequently used by large carnivores. The body was first spotted by a forest patrol team around 5 pm during a routine inspection of natural water sources, a standard summer protocol to assess water availability for wildlife. Officials said the tiger had left the spot after hearing the team's movement. Subsequent site examination revealed clear forensic indicators. Disturbed soil, drag marks, and blood dispersion patterns around the waterbody pointed to a sudden ambush. It appeared that Sewatkar may have been in the water with only his head and shoulders visible from behind a rock. Blood splatter at the site indicated that the tiger likely grabbed him by the head and dragged him out of the water, killing him almost instantly. "This is prime territory. Human entry is strictly prohibited," an official said. Officials also confirmed that Sewatkar had a history of entering the core area. He had reportedly been intercepted multiple times earlier by patrol teams and escorted back to his village, with warnings issued to his family. The family had apologised, citing his mental condition. The incident soon turned into a law-and-order issue. As news spread, a group of villagers gathered at the Jamtara tourism gate. Eyewitnesses said many were intoxicated. The crowd vandalised the ticket counter, damaged three vehicles, and attempted to set one on fire while pressuring forest officials to retrieve the body immediately. Forest teams eventually launched a late-night operation and recovered the body around 2 am on Tuesday. Villagers and the victim's family have demanded Rs 25 lakh, citing a recent announcement by chief minister Mohan Yadav. However, officials said the amount has not yet been formally notified, and compensation is currently governed by existing conflict relief packages. Officials also clarified that there is no provision for compensation in cases where deaths occur inside core areas, as entry into such zones is illegal. However, to maintain law and order, authorities are processing a proposal to grant Rs 8 lakh ex gratia. Piyush Goyal, deputy director of Pench, said, "Our focus is to maintain law and order to ensure safety and security of both humans and wildlife." This is the second human casualty reported in Pench in the last four months. In the previous case, reported on April 1, a man was killed by a tiger in the buffer area while collecting mahua.