Udhagamandalam: The elusive man-eater tiger, which killed at least four people and more than 20 cattle in the surrounding areas of Gudalur forest range in the Nilgiris district was trapped after being twice hit by tranquilizer darts in the last 14 hours. The officials said that they were trying to trap the tiger since September 25, as it had been a menace to villagers in Gudalur and Masinagudi.
The forest officials got informed about its location on Thursday, and a medical team went to the Masinagudi-Theppakkadu Road and successfully hit the tranquilizer dart on the tiger at 10 PM, but it escaped. Then, a group of 50 officials went to the spot, saw the animal in a bush at Kootupara and used another tranquilizer dart which reached home. After ensuring the tiger was unconscious, the officials said they caged it and are now awaiting instructions for further action. Nearly 100 people, including a few from Kerala and Karnataka, along with two tamed elephants and three sniffer dogs, were involved in the operation to trap the man-eater.
The officials were earlier given order to shoot the tiger, code named T23, but wildlife activists approached the Madras High Court, which ordered the officials to trap the animal without killing it. Last week, the court passed interim orders on a plea, stating that no steps should be taken to put it to sleep or kill it, to ensure that the big cat is captured alive. It asked the officials to see to it that few people enter the forest to capture the tiger.
Also read: Hand chopped, tied to barricade; Man lynched at Singhu border, near a venue of farmers’ protest
Post Your Comments