• Over 1,000 villagers killed an endangered Royal Bengal tiger in Assam, India.
• The mob acted in revenge for alleged livestock killings and a reported human fatality.
• This incident marks the third tiger killing in Assam within a few months.

A Royal Bengal tiger was killed by a mob of over 1,000 villagers in Dusutimukh village, Golaghat district, Assam, on Thursday morning, inciting outrage among conservationists and politicians. The mob claimed the tiger was responsible for attacking livestock and had allegedly killed a man shortly before the incident, leading them to take retributive action. Eyewitnesses reported that armed with machetes, spears, and iron rods, the crowd pursued the tiger into a wooded area approximately 20 kilometers from Kaziranga National Park before killing it and taking parts as trophies, according to India Times, BBC, and South China Morning Post.

Authorities confirmed that the tiger had died from sharp weapon wounds and not gunfire, and they have initiated an investigation resulting in the arrest of one individual. Three forest rangers were injured while attempting to protect the tiger, and a medical examination confirmed the gruesome nature of the killing, with parts of the tiger's body removed before officials could secure the carcass, as reported by BBC and India Times.

This alarming act reflects ongoing issues of human-animal conflict in Assam, exacerbated by shrinking habitats and increasing interactions between tigers and local communities. It is noted that this incident is the third tiger killing in recent months, raising questions about effective wildlife management and public safety, according to South China Morning Post and BBC.

Local lawmakers, including MLA Mrinal Saikia, condemned the killing, stating, "The Earth is not only for humans, it is for animals as well. Wild animals also need space." There is a growing call for stronger protective measures to prevent such conflicts and safeguard wildlife, echoing concerns raised by environmental activists regarding a potential lack of forest department preparedness prior to the incident, as highlighted by India Times, BBC, and South China Morning Post.