In a tragic and disturbing incident, a mob of around 1,000 villagers in northeastern India brutally killed a Royal Bengal tiger, hacking off its body parts as trophies. The attack occurred near Dusutimakh village, about 20 kilometers from Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and protected tiger reserve. Armed with machetes, spears, and iron rods, the villagers chased the tiger into a wooded area early Thursday morning before launching a fatal assault. By the time forest officials arrived, the tiger had been mutilated—its legs, ears, claws, teeth, and pieces of its skin taken.
According to reports, the tiger had been a source of fear in the community for several weeks, attacking livestock and allegedly killing a man just days earlier. Locals had been aware of the animal’s presence since early May and had prepared to take matters into their own hands. When they received news of its whereabouts around 6am, they quickly mobilized to track and kill it. During the confrontation, three forest rangers were injured while attempting to intervene.
Authorities have begun investigating the killing and arrested one individual so far. A postmortem confirmed that the tiger died from sharp weapon injuries rather than gunfire. The remains were later cremated by the forest department.
This is the third tiger death recorded in Assam in recent months. In February, a tiger that died of old age was discovered, and in March, another intact carcass was found, though the cause of death could not be determined. With only 227 Royal Bengal tigers in Assam, the killing has deeply alarmed conservationists. India is home to about 3,140 of these endangered big cats, which are listed on the IUCN Red List.
The act has drawn condemnation from lawmakers and environmentalists alike. Mrinal Saikia, a local legislator, called the killing “painful” and demanded justice. “Earth is not only for humans, it is for animals as well,” he said. Environmental activists criticized the lack of timely intervention by forest authorities, suggesting that the tragedy could have been avoided with better preparedness and a stronger response.
The incident has reignited debate around human-wildlife conflict in India and the urgent need to strengthen conservation efforts and educate communities living near protected habitats.
READ MORE: