The tiger ran away when people chased it with sticks

A crab catcher was mauled to death by a tiger in the Sunderbans on Tuesday, a forest official said.

Another crab catcher who was dragged by a tiger in a separate incident on Monday remained untraced, the official said.

A tiger pounced on 37-year-old woman, Ambajan Khatun, when a team of four people was catching crabs near the creek of Thakuran river at 11 am on Tuesday, the official said.

When the team members chased the tiger with sticks, the animal fled leaving behind Khatun's body, the official said.

Her husband, Ayen Mollah, who was also in the team, escaped unhurt.

Another crab catcher, Banalata Devi, was attacked by a tiger on Monday when she had gone to a creek in Pirkhali-2 area of the mangrove jungle, in South 24 Parganas district, in search of crabs.

The tiger jumped on Banalata Devi and took her away into the jungle. Her son and two others, who had accompanied her, informed the forest department.

A search operation carried out by personnel of the forest department has failed to yield any result, he said.