VELLORE: A press release issued in the name of Vellore Collector P Kumaravel Pandian regarding the movement of a carnivore, which reportedly was not true, sent several villages abutting the forest regions in the district into a tizzy.
The press release issued by district officials warning the public about the movement of a leopard, allegedly captured on CCTV at Oonai Mottur village in Anaicut panchayat union on Tuesday, triggered panic among villagers.
Also, sources said a team of forest officials was deputed to the region the same night to confirm if a leopard was really on the prowl.
After local media published and aired the press release, different sections of the public were apprehensive about the source of information.
Shockingly, there has been no complaint from any of the villages to forest officials about the movement of carnivore in or close to their locality, claimed some sections.
Official sources said that the release was based on CCTV footage sent to the Collector by a subordinate revenue official.
However, when DT Next checked the footage it showed only two animals – a big and a small dog or a dog and a cat – playing. Needless to say, when the information was passed on, the forest department instantly deputed a 12-member special team headed by Odugathur Forest Range Officer (FRO) Indu to inquire with villagers about the ‘sighting of a wild animal.’
Additionally, the team was directed to upload photos of their field inspection every hour.
A senior forest official said, “We then played the video on a large screen which proved that they were not wild animals and looked like a dog only. However, to allay fears triggered by the press release, we interacted with villagers and checked about their safety.” Officials claimed that they issued the press release based on the Collector’s orders and the local media also published and aired it without verifying the facts.
When contacted for his reaction, Collector Kumaravel Pandian told DT Next to contact the DFO for any clarification or information regarding the ‘leopard’ issue.