Tiger Kills Forager in Kailali Community Forest

A 40-year-old man was mauled to death by a tiger on Friday morning while foraging for mushrooms inside a community forest in Kailali district, local authorities and police said.

The victim was identified as Krishna Chaudhary, a resident of Charidanda in Gauriganga Municipality-6. The attack took place inside the Bhairab Mahila Community Forest located at Moya in the same ward, according to local police officials cited by Nepali news outlets.

According to reporting by Nagarik News, Senior Sub-Inspector of Police Ramesh Bahadur Shahi of the Area Police Office in Chaumala said Chaudhary had entered the woodland around 5:00 a.m. accompanied by two companions to harvest wild mushrooms. While they were gathering mushrooms, a tiger pounced on Chaudhary, killing him on the spot. The two individuals accompanying him managed to flee unharmed, Shahi told the publication.

Onlinekhabar also reported that Chaudhary entered the forest in the early morning hours before being attacked by the predator. District police officers stated that initial information pointed to an immediate fatality at the scene.

A search and rescue operation was launched after authorities were alerted to the attack. Setopati, citing Kailali District Police Spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police Yogendra Timilsina, reported that a police team led by Senior Sub-Inspector Shahi deployed to the area after 8:00 a.m. and discovered Chaudhary's body inside the forest.

Police have launched further inquiries into the fatal encounter, Onlinekhabar reported.