A tragic incident of human-wildlife conflict unfolded in Kalikavu, Malappuram, where a young man was killed in a suspected tiger attack early in the morning. The victim, identified as Gafur, a rubber tapping worker and resident of Kallamala in Chokkad, Nilambur, was attacked and dragged away by a wild animal around 7 a.m. while working in a plantation at Atakakundi.
Gafur had been accompanied by another worker, Samad, who narrowly escaped the attack. According to Samad, the tiger suddenly appeared and pounced on Gafur without warning. Despite efforts to save him, Gafur was overpowered and killed by the animal. Local resident Hussain confirmed that the area has seen repeated tiger sightings over the past few years. He mentioned that several domestic animals had already been killed by the predator, prompting locals to stop raising goats and other livestock.
The growing threat has not gone unnoticed by authorities. A local ward member stated that the community had previously staged protests demanding the installation of a tiger cage in the area. Despite being about two kilometers away from the forest zone, the presence of a tiger for over three years has kept residents on edge. The incident has renewed calls for immediate action to ensure the safety of people living on the fringes of forested areas.
