An elderly woman was discovered dead under suspicious circumstances in the Mahof range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, sparking fears of a potential tiger attack, authorities reported on Wednesday.
Villagers identified the deceased as Parul Rai, 65, and noted that her mutilated body had missing abdomen and neck parts, raising immediate suspicions about a tiger being involved. However, the local forest administration did not confirm tiger involvement.
Divisional Forest Officer Manish Singh said a post-mortem would determine the actual cause of death, while the incident triggered panic among the locals as warnings against venturing into the forest for firewood were reiterated by officials.
(With inputs from agencies.)