The Forest department is preparing to capture the big cat which is suspected to have killed a farmer at Koodallur, near Vakery, in Wayanad district on Saturday.
Fear gripped the area after Prajish, 36, of Marottithadathil, a farmer at Koodallur under the Chethalayath forest range of the South Wayanad Forest Division, was killed, suspected to be in a tiger attack, on Saturday noon.
A tense situation prevailed at the taluk hospital at Sulthan Bathery, where the post-mortem examination of the deceased farmer was performed, after an irate mob sought the intervention of the government to issue an order to kill the man-eater. The mob warned that they would not receive the body until the Chief Wildlife Warden issued the order.
Chief Wildlife Warden D. Jayaprasad issued the order to capture the big cat by Sunday noon.
The Chief Wildlife Warden said in his order that the animal that killed the man needed to be identified undoubtedly before the launch of the operation.
Maximum effort should be taken to capture or tranquilise the animal as per the norms of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). If the animal cannot be captured or tranquillised, and it is established as a man-eater, the same animal shall be killed under section 11(1) (a) of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 in strict adherence to the provisions of the section and the guidelines of the NTCA as the tiger has become a threat to human life in the area.
Mr. Jayaprasad directed that the entire operation should be carried out under the supervision of the Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle). The service of a medical team and the Rapid Response Team of the department should be ensured during the operation. Moreover, the entire operation should be documented and a detailed report should be submitted to the warden.
Meanwhile, a combing operation for the man-eater in the human habitats in the Moodakkolly and Koodallur areas on the fringes of the South Wayanad and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary yielded no results.
A 50-member team consisting of trackers, veterinarians and members of the Rapid Response Team of the Forest department took part in the operation. The team searched coffee plantations in the area, but could not get any sighting of the animal, Chethalayath forest range officer Abdul Samad told The Hindu. However, the pug marks of a tiger were identified from the site where the farmer was killed, Mr. Samad said.
Night patrol
Two mobile squads, consisting of five forest officials each, had been constituted for night patrol in the area, he said. Twenty surveillance cameras had been set up in the area to monitor the movements of the big cat, he said.
A compensation of ₹10 lakh would be given to the kin of the man killed. Of this, a cheque for ₹5 lakh would be given on Monday, Mr. Samad said.
