The wife of late head constable Chiksen Mangpang has accused the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department of gross negligence, claiming repeated warnings about a tiger in the area were ignored for weeks before the fatal incident.
Mangpang, a resident of Manfaiseng village in Namsai district, was killed on February 2 while returning home after duty in a suspected tiger attack along the Roing-Anini road.
His wife, Khyoda Mary, said both local residents and authorities had reported tiger sightings in the area for nearly two months prior to the incident. Despite these alerts, she alleged, the Forest Department failed to take effective preventive or protective measures.
Mary also expressed anger over what she termed “institutional apathy” and refused to accept the Rs 10 lakh ex gratia announced by the authorities. She said financial compensation could never make up for the loss of her husband and instead demanded long-term institutional support to ensure the education, security and overall welfare of their children.
She further questioned the preparedness of wildlife authorities in areas prone to human-animal conflict and called for stronger safety protocols to protect both residents and personnel working in high-risk zones.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein also criticised the Forest Department, calling the recent tiger attack a case of “gross negligence” and a “serious blunder” on the part of officials.
He said the tragedy could have been avoided if timely precautions had been taken. “This is extremely sad and unfortunate. Such an incident should never have happened,” he said.
Also read: ED seizes ₹2.2 crore in Trans-Arunachal compensation scam
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