Jaipur, Sept. 12 -- At least 66 people have been killed and 328 injured due to human-wildlife conflict across Rajasthan in the last five years, according to forest department data submitted in the assembly by the government in response to a question by Congress MLA Ghanashyam Mahar. According to the data, tabled on Tuesday, Udaipur reported the most deaths- a total of 16, with Sawai Madhopur district (which houses the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve) in second place with 10 deaths, with three deaths occuring within a 45-day period from April 16 to June7, with a temple caretaker reportedly becoming the latest victim. Rajsamand and Sirohi districts also reported 7 and 6 deaths respectively. The departmental response stated that a quick response team (QRT) was deployed across forests in these four districts following increased reports of fatalities. The government has also invested heavily in increasing the number of watering holes in the regions concerned, so as to keep animals diverted from residential areas, it added. "At least Rs.55.83 lakh was spent to construct these water holes in 2024-'25 FY, while another Rs.60 lakh was also allocated in 2025-'26 FY, out of which Rs.23.95 lakh was spent till June," said the response. "Several awareness programmes were conducted in rural areas to educate people about safety measures and local communities were also sensitized through State Forest Protection and Management Committees and Eco-Development Committees," it added. "The government has also provided victims' families with a total compensation of Rs.4.76 crores..." it further said, adding that 19 families, however, were yet to receive compensation. A special monitoring and patrolling system- the M-STRIPES camera trap system- as prescribed under Phase-IV protocol of the National Tiger Conservation Authority's (NCTA) Project Tiger, has been instituted in designated areas, said the response. Last year, a leopard was reportedly found to be responsible for at least eight deaths across a 35-kilometer radius in Udaipur's Jhadol, prompting the forest department to declare a particular leopard a "man-eater" and appoint a shooter to kill the animal....