The tiger that unleashed terror in the Neymakkad area of Munnar was trapped in the cage set up by the Kerala Forest officials at Munnar on Wednesday night.
The animal, which was found moving towards Eravikulam, returned to Neymakkad on Tuesday night at around 8:30 p.m. only to walk into the trap set up by the Forest officials.
A decision on whether the tiger shall be released back to the wild or kept in captivity will be taken by a six-member committee formed as per the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority, said Raju Francis, Divisional Forest Officer, Munnar Forest Division.
The panel will submit its report to the Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala, who will take the final call, he said.
The identity of the animal will be ascertained by comparing its stripes with the tiger images in the repository of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
Each tiger has a unique stripes patten and can be distinguished from another one by comparing the stripes.
The pug marks of the trapped animal will also be compared with the pug marks that were available in the areas where its presence was reported. The comparison is being planned to confirm its identity, the official said.
The male tiger is estimated to be of seven years of age.
The killing of 10 cattle in Naymakkad and East Kadalar areas on Sunday and Monday and injuring another one on Tuesday had caused widespread panic in the area.
Though no human beings were attacked by the tiger, the killing of the cattle that were kept in the stable in human habitations had unnerved the residents of the area.
The Forest department had deployed around 100 of its personnel in the areas where the presence of the big cat was reported and the cattle killed.
Traps were also set up at Neymakkad and East Kadalar areas immediately after the incidents of tiger kill were reported, Forest officials said.
