Asifabad: In a tragic incident, a 21-year-old woman, Morle Lakshmi from Gannaram village in Kagaznagar mandal, was killed in a tiger attack in Kumuram Bheem district. The incident occurred on the outskirts of Nazrulnagar village when Lakshmi and six other women went to pick cotton in nearby fields.
According to locals, a tiger entered the field and attacked Lakshmi. Despite the workers’ frantic attempts to scare the tiger away, Lakshmi suffered severe injuries to her neck. She was rushed to a private hospital in Kagaznagar by locals but succumbed to her injuries en route.
Following the incident, villagers and family members staged a protest outside the Kagaznagar Forest Department Divisional Office, accusing officials of negligence. They alleged that forest authorities ignored early warnings about the tiger’s presence in the area.
Responding to the protest, SP Srinivasa Rao and CF Santaram met the grieving family and promised financial aid of ₹10 lakh, five acres of land, and a government job for one family member. The family agreed to end the protest after the assurances.
Lakshmi, who was married a year ago, is survived by her husband and family. Locals noted a tiger had previously attacked livestock in the same area.
