A 43-year-old Anti-Poaching Watcher (APW) sustained injuries after being attacked by a gaur during routine patrolling in the Jeeragahalli Range of the Hasanur Division in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve on Saturday (July 18, 2026).The injured watcher, Jeyasekar, a resident of Eraganahalli village in Thalavadi taluk, was on patrol in the Belathur beat inside the reserved forest when the incident occurred.Forest Department officials rushed him to the Government Upgraded Primary Health Centre in Thalavadi, where he was administered first aid. Medical examination and X-ray revealed a fracture in his right hand. Based on medical advice, he is to be shifted to a higher medical centre in Sathyamangalam or Coimbatore for specialised treatment.The department, in a press release, said all necessary assistance had been extended to Mr. Jeyasekar. It added that all APWs are covered under an insurance scheme and that medical expenses would be borne in accordance with government norms. The release said compensation for human injury would be provided only as per the prescribed legal procedures. The department also alleged that some local individuals had attempted to pressure field officials by demanding compensation outside the prescribed norms. It said forest officials were bound by government rules and financial assistance could be released only after approval from the competent authorities.The department appealed to the public and local organisations to cooperate with the established procedures and avoid spreading misinformation, adding that the welfare of frontline staff and the safety of local communities remained its priority. Published - July 18, 2026 08:33 pm IST