In 6 Years, Maharashtra Lost 501 Lives to Man-Animal Conflict Man-wildlife conflict in Maharashtra has claimed the lives of 501 people over the past six years, injured nearly 4,000 individuals, and caused widespread devastation to livestock and crops, according to data obtained by Nagpur-based activist Abhay Kolarkar through a Right to Information (RTI) request. The figures, shared by the forest department, highlight a growing crisis affecting tiger corridors and forest-fringe villages. The data reveals a sharp rise in human fatalities, injuries, livestock deaths, and crop damage, underscoring the urgent need for improved mitigation strategies. The RTI response shows a significant increase in human casualties. Fatalities rose from 82 in 2020-21 to a peak of 111 in 2022-23, before declining slightly to 91 in 2025-26. Injuries also surged, with the number of affected individuals jumping from 401 in 2020-21 to 1,312 in 2023-24, a more than threefold increase. This spike suggests either a rise in encounters or improved reporting. The year 2023-24 marked the worst livestock toll on record, with over 7,152 cattle killed and 17,740 injured. Crop damage, meanwhile, escalated dramatically, rising from approximately 35,100 incidents in 2020-21 to over 2.11 lakh in 2023-24—a sixfold increase in three years—before easing slightly to 1.63 lakh in 2024-25 and 61,458 cases in 2025-26. The Maharashtra government has implemented a compensation policy through a Gazette notification in February 2024 to address the crisis. Human fatalities are compensated at Rs25 lakh, permanent disabilities at Rs7.5 lakh, and serious injuries at Rs5 lakh. Cattle deaths are reimbursed at 75% of market value, capped at Rs70,000 per large animal. However, the total compensation disbursed over six years—Rs763.#maharashtra #forest_department #abhay_kolarkar #right_to_information #mahakosh_scheme
