By Nihad Amani
Asifabad: The Telangana forest department is on an intensive lookout for the tiger after it reportedly mauled two persons to death in Kumaram Bheem area of Asifabad district. The tiger is moving back and forth between the forests in the district and Maharashtra for a week now, officials said.
As a part of the intense research, the department has figured out five spots to lure the tiger with a live bait animal. Meanwhile, the department officials had already placed trapping cages and cameras in Asifabad and Karwal tiger reserve.
“Once the tiger gets comfortable and would be the spot at a location twice or thrice, a team of wildlife veterinarians from Maharashtra would tranquilize it and catch it safely,” said A Shankaran, a senior forest department official told siasat.com.
22-year-old Siddam Viganeshwar and a 15-year-old Pasula Nirmala were killed on November 11 November 29 respectively. “Their families have been provided Rs. 5 lakh in compensation,” said the official.
Besides, as many as 40 cattle were mauled to death by tigers. It is not confirmed, however, if they were killed by a single tiger. The owners of the cattle too were compensated according to their market price, officials said.
Earlier this month, in an advisory, the forest department said that the villagers shall avoid leaving strip gaps/ pathways in agricultural fields. Also, the department advised that villagers must avoid using routes passing through the forest areas.