ARTICLE: In the footsteps of a man-eater: As a tigress kills at will, villages live in fear

It’s 4 pm. The mellow winter sun gives way to a crisp breeze on the outskirts of Borati village in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district.


Beyond the cotton fields, a slight man watches over a herd of grazing cows. The mild chill doesn’t explain his attire. His torso is wrapped in a band of rusted metal. A similar band wrapped around his neck has sharp spokes pointing outwards. The armour is fastened and secured with a lock and key.
“I made this gear last month after I saw a tiger in the forest,” says Shankar Atram, 48. He earns a living as a cowherd — Rs 150 per animal per month, he says.

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