LATEHAR: A search for two women who had stepped out to collect flowers ended in tragedy in Latehar, with their bodies found in a forest a day later, suspected to be victims of a wild bison attack. Two women were found dead in a forest in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Tuesday morning, police said. The women died after they were reportedly attacked by a wild bison in Gurikam forest, they said. Ajay Toppo, forest range officer, said that as per the statement of family members, the women went to collect flowers in the forest on Monday morning but did not return home. “Their bodies were found in the forest on Tuesday morning. It appears that they were killed in a bison attack. The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination to Sadar hospital,” Toppo said. The deceased have been identified as Shilamania Devi (64) and Shanti Kunwar (50). He said that Rs 50,000 each was provided to the next of kin of the deceased, while another Rs 3.5 lakh as compensation will be given after completion of formalities. The Jharkhand government provides Rs 4 lakh compensation in case of death by wild animals.
