Villagers finally capture tiger who mauled six people to death

Residents of a small village in India have finally captured a tiger who mauled six locals to death during a violent rampage.

The animal originally lived at the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve in Uttar Pradesh but escaped four months ago and began prowling nearby villages for food.

During that time the tiger has managed to kill six people – most recently on Saturday when it savaged an unsuspecting night watchman.

Locals rallied together to form a search party to hunt for the animal, gathering sticks and axes in case it wandered back to the scene of its most recent kill.

Sugarcane fields near Piparia Karam village were flattened by tractors so forest rangers could look for the big cat.

Locals eventually found it mauling the body of another victim, who was missing a leg and an arm.

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They fired dozens of tranquilliser darts at the tiger, managing to knock it unconscious before stuffing it inside a cage before it is taken to Lucknow Zoo.

Senior forest official Kailash Prakash said: “We are yet to identify the reason behind him turning into a man-eater but experts at the zoo will take care of him now.”

The attacks are said to have begun began last month and most of the victims were attacked during the night while sleeping on cots outside their homes.

Top pic: SWNS