Arunachal: Wife of late head constable killed in tiger attack accuse forest department of negligence

Days after a head constable was mauled to death by a tiger in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district, his widow has accused the Forest Department of gross negligence, alleging that repeated warnings about the presence of the big cat were ignored for weeks before the fatal attack.

Khyoda Mary, wife of late Head Constable Chikseng Manpang, who was killed in a tiger attack on February 2 in the Mayudia area, said local residents and authorities had reported tiger sightings for nearly two months prior to the incident. Despite the alerts, she claimed that no effective preventive or protective measures were taken by the Forest Department to avert the tragedy.

Expressing anguish over what she termed as institutional apathy, Mary refused to accept the ₹10 lakh ex gratia announced by the authorities, stating that financial compensation alone cannot compensate for the loss of her husband. She instead demanded long-term institutional support to ensure the education, security, and overall welfare of her children.

Holding the Forest Department directly accountable, Mary questioned the preparedness of wildlife authorities in areas prone to human-animal conflict and called for stronger safety protocols to protect residents and personnel working in vulnerable zones. The incident has once again brought the issue of rising human-wildlife conflict and administrative accountability into sharp focus in the region.