Chandrapur Faces Rising Human-Wildlife Conflict with Five Big Cat Attacks

Rapid Summary

• Maharashtra’s chandrapur district has seen an increase in human-wildlife conflict, especially involving tigers and leopards.
• Five fatal attacks by a tiger and a leopard occurred in September 2025, including four killed by a tiger and one by a leopard.
• Chandrapur Forest Department recorded 347 tigers in the region as of 2025, up from 191 in 2020.Thes incidents contribute to the total of 30 tiger-related deaths reported this year (January-September).
• on September 18, Vidya Masram (40) was attacked and killed by a tiger while working on her farm in Chimur village; forest officials deployed Primary Response Teams afterward.
• on the same day, Prasheel Mankar (7) was killed by a leopard while returning home from gadbori village after a function; villagers have demanded preventive measures such as solar fencing and lights.
• Forest officials are addressing post-conflict procedures following written assurances provided to ensure compliance with villagers’ demands.The situation remains tense amidst criticism from local leaders citing departmental negligence.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The spate of human-wildlife conflicts within Chandrapur illustrates the complex challenges arising from increased wildlife populations juxtaposed against expanding human activity near conservation areas like Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The rise in tiger numbers-while lauded as positive for biodiversity conservation-has heightened risks for communities living at the forest-edge boundaries where interaction zones overlap with animal habitats.

While deploying Primary Response Teams addresses immediate concerns post-attacks, these incidents underline deeper systemic issues requiring proactive solutions such as improving awareness among locals about preventive strategies, better habitat management infrastructure like solar fencing or lighting to deter nocturnal predators, and perhaps enhanced compensation mechanisms for affected families to mitigate hostility toward forest departments.This recurring issue also highlights governance gaps; strong criticism by village leaders suggests lingering frustration over insufficient action despite prior demands following earlier attacks years ago. Achieving coexistence between humans and wildlife must remain central to policy frameworks moving forward given India’s unique position balancing ecological preservation alongside rural development imperatives.Read more: Link unavailable