Tiger sighted in Gudalur as hunt for elusive big cat intensifies

COIMBATORE: Even as an intensive search continues for the elusive tiger suspected of killing two farmers in O’Valley, plantation workers in Gudalur have reported sighting a tiger in their neighbourhood, raising fresh concerns among residents.

The Forest Department is yet to ascertain whether the animal sighted by the workers is the same tiger suspected to have attacked and killed the two farmers.

On Wednesday, plantation workers reportedly spotted a tiger resting in a plantation in the Nambalakottai area. They captured photographs of the animal on their mobile phones and alerted the Forest Department. Officials subsequently launched efforts to track its movements by installing camera traps in the area.

The tiger is also suspected to have attacked and killed cattle in the locality. Around midnight, a cow belonging to Thomas of Marthoma Nagar was mauled to death at his shed. In a separate incident, another cow belonging to Sitharaj in the Devarshola area was killed by the suspected tiger.

Following the two cattle attacks, Forest Department officials appealed to residents to avoid venturing out unnecessarily after dark as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, the operation to capture the elusive tiger in the O’Valley Forest Range continued with intensified surveillance using drones and trap cages, while around 130 camera traps have been installed at strategic locations to monitor the animal’s movements.