Since January 2026, a series of tiger attacks in villages located near the buffer zones of Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh have killed at least four villagers, triggering unrest between local communities and forest authorities. On 13 April 2026, protests intensified after a fatal tiger attack near Jamtara village marked the fourth death linked to tiger attacks in and around the reserve that year. Hundreds of villagers gathered to protest against the forest department, accusing officials of failing to prevent repeated wildlife incursions into human settlements.
A 30-year-old man, Dinesh Sewatkar, who was undergoing treatment for mental health illness, was reportedly mauled to death after entering a waterhole in a core area of the reserve dominated by tiger movement. On 20 April, Jungle Safari India reported another tiger-related death involving a villager.
Over 300 protesters gathered the following day, damaging the Jamtara entry gate and forest department vehicles during the demonstrations. Officials also alleged misconduct by forest personnel, further escalating tensions in the area.
Popularly known as the ‘Land of Mowgli’ because of its association with The Jungle Book, Pench Tiger Reserve has witnessed recurring tensions between wildlife conservation measures and the safety and livelihoods of communities living along its forest fringes.
The reserve is administered in accordance with the management plan approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), as mandated under Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
According to the Indian Express, sources from the reserve stated that individuals who were previously penalised for offences such as illegal tree-cutting may have played a role in inciting the violence. In February 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued an advisory on managing human–wildlife conflict. The advisory recommended coordinated action within departments, identification of conflicting hotspots, deployment of rapid response teams, adherence to standard operating procedures, and expedited ex-gratia, including partial relief within 24 hours in cases of death or injury.
Dinesh's family demanded higher compensation of ₹25 lakh along with government employment, arguing that the existing ex-gratia assistance of around ₹8 lakh was inadequate given the severity of the loss.
Authorities, however, stated that the amount is determined under existing government norms and may be reduced or denied in cases where victims are found to have entered restricted core areas of the reserve.
Villagers contend that their dependence on forest resources, including grazing land, fuelwood, and minor forest produce such as mahua and tendu leaves, often compels them to enter high-risk forest zones despite restrictions.
Rashimi Barve, wife of Shyamkumar Barve, who is a Member of Parliament from the region, said that despite fear, villagers continue to step out for work as most are farmers and they are highly dependent on farming. She added that missing this sowing period would directly affect both food security and household income.
As reported by Down To Earth, residents have repeatedly raised concerns regarding inadequate monitoring of tiger movement in the area. Recent measures announced by the government, including AI-based alert systems, fencing, and deployment of emergency response units, have also drawn attention to perceived gaps in existing safety and mitigation mechanisms.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for more compensation than promised
Demand for employment
Demand for better access to common land/resources
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
BNS 2023 [Example]
Section 203 [Example]
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Grazing, Other natural resource collection/dependence, Water bodies, Religious/Sacred/Cultural value
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Other
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
No
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Delay in compensation
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
No
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
No
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Forest Department (Madhya Pradesh Forest Department); District Administration (Seoni District Collector); National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
BNS 2023 [Example]
Section 203 [Example]
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
