A 56-year-old woman was killed in a tiger attack near Bardiya National Park in Bardiya district, marking the third fatal wildlife attack in the area within a month.

The victim, Khidini Tharu of Belbhar village in Barbardiya Municipality–11, was attacked while harvesting mustard in a field on Wednesday evening, locals said. The incident occurred at around 6 pm outside the village settlement.

“The attack happened while she was harvesting mustard in the field,” said Mahesh Ram Tharu, a local resident speaking from the incident site. According to eyewitnesses, the woman was accompanied by an eight-year-old girl who escaped unharmed. Several farmers working nearby witnessed the incident and confirmed that the attacker was a tiger.

Chaudhary said the tiger dragged the woman approximately 35 meters from the field. Unlike previous incidents that occurred close to village settlements, this attack took place farther away in an agricultural area where many farmers were harvesting ripened mustard.

This is the third fatal big-cat attack reported in the region this month. On December 30, an 18-year-old schoolgirl, Binita Pariyar, was killed by a tiger near Bardiya National Park while returning home from tuition classes. She was attacked about 400 meters from her home in Kothiya village, Madhuwan Municipality–2.

Earlier, on December 24, Parwati Dangi, 53, was killed by a leopard in Fenapati Community Forest while collecting fodder with five other women. The other women screamed and managed to drive the leopard away.

On December 17, Dinesh Chaudhary, 32, was also killed by a tiger in the same area. He was attacked while relieving himself behind a bush, a common practice in rural areas.

Locals said at least three other villagers have been killed in tiger and leopard attacks over the past four months, creating widespread fear among communities surrounding the national park.

“Leopards have become a serious threat,” said Ran Bahadur Chaudhary, chairperson of Ward 10 of Barbardiya Municipality. “With the increasing tiger population in Bardiya National Park, leopards are being displaced and are frequently entering villages.”

Following the fifth death linked to tiger attacks, residents from 49 villages surrounding the park conducted special rituals to appease the tiger. The Indigenous Tharu community believes such rituals help calm the animal and prevent further attacks.

Indigenous shamans gathered in reflection after a day-and-a-half-long ritual performance, in the early morning of the first week of January. Photo: Mahesh Ram Tharu

The ritual, known as Thanuwamaruwa, is usually performed annually. However, an additional ceremony was organized this year despite a similar ritual having been conducted two months earlier. Traditionally, the ritual involved animal sacrifice, as the tiger is considered a carnivorous deity. During the Maoist insurgency, animal sacrifice was discontinued and replaced with vegetarian offerings such as sweets. Recently, however, animal sacrifice has been reintroduced as part of traditional practice.

“It is a matter of belief and a way of life for the Tharu community,” said Chaudhari. “Even non-Tharu residents here have faith in these rituals, as they help us feel safe.”

Previously, the Forest Office had set traps to capture the tiger, but the efforts were unsuccessful. While villagers have demanded that authorities remove or eliminate the man-eating tiger, officials say they are not permitted to carry out such actions.

“We are forced to live in constant fear,” Tharu said. “This is our reality.”