COIMBATORE: The Gudalur forest department on Tuesday deployed two Kumkis to search for a tiger suspected of having killed several heads of cattle in the Devarshola panchayat.
Two kumkis, named Vijay and Wasim, were brought to Devarshola on Monday night from Mudumalai elephant camp. With the assistance of two trained elephants, a search operation was carried out on Tuesday in Sarkarmoola and its surrounding areas, where the tiger was spotted frequently. Multiple teams from the forest department have begun patrolling in protective gear in search of the carnivore.
Villagers of Padanthorai, Kaniyam Vayal, Sarkarmoola and surrounding villages in Devarshola Panchayat claimed that the tiger had mauled to death more than ten cattle in recent days.
Such continuous attacks triggered protests by villagers, while members of the Rights Retrieval Committee resorted to a fasting protest in Padanthorai village.
The Devarshola Panchayat also passed a resolution at its council meeting against the forest department. Meanwhile, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra issued an order to trap the animal, on the recommendations of Gudalur District Forest Officer N Venkatesh Prabhu.
Following this, five cages were placed in different locations in Sarkarmoola with meat as bait to lure the prowling tiger. In addition, 30 camera traps were fixed in places identified to be frequented by the tiger.