A 40-year-old Chenchu tribal, Lingamaiah, on Saturday, succumbed to burns that he sustained in a forest fire on March 7 in the Amrabad tiger Reserve. This is the first incident in which a fire in a forest in Telangana state has resulted in the loss of human life.
Lingamaiah died at the Osmania General Hospital, where he was battling for life since March 7. Three other Chenchus, from Mallapur Penta, who also received burns in the same incident are receiving treatment for burn injuries.
It may be recalled that a group of 11 Chenchus from Mallapur Penta, a hamlet deep inside the tiger reserve, were reported to be out in the forest searching for tubers and to tap honey when they were caught in the fire.
The months leading up to the peak summer are considered the fire season in the state’s forests. In Amrabad, the undergrowth dries up by the end of January and the trees shed their leaves turning several parts of the forest into potential tinder boxes. While there is no…