Koorkanmoola (Wayanad): A hunt is on for a tiger that has unleashed a reign of terror for the past 18 days in this village which falls within the Mananthvadi municipality limits. Four municipal divisions, including Mananthavadi, are under prohibitory orders for the past seven days, as forest department officials intensified the search for tiger. The shutdown in Koorkanmoola is much more severe than the lockdown witnessed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
The animal was first spotted at Koorkanmoola on November 28. On that day, it killed a calf and a buffalo. Subsequently, the tiger started targeting dogs, goats, sheep and cows. So far it has targeted 17 pet animals in the area.
Most students have stopped going to schools because of fear. Police patrolling has been intensified along the roads leading to schools.
Most farmers have stopped work on the paddy fields and procurement in milk societies has been scheduled after 8am due to the terror created by tiger.
The district administration has directed the Kerala State Electricity Board to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the area at least till the tiger is captured.
As many as 127 officials including tranquillising experts, 50 cameras, two kumki elephants, three drones have been pressed into service for capturing the big cat. However, people allege that the forest department had intensified the counter action only after protests erupted in the area.
Even though five cages have been placed at different places to capture it, the animal is not to be seen anywhere near the area. Barring a photograph captured in one of the cameras, there is no sign of the tiger.
The forest department's decision to release the photograph of the tiger led to another controversy. A section of farmers believe that the forest department is using a big wound spotted on the neck of the tiger to implicate them.
Forest department officials said the tiger might have hurt itself while trying to flee from the trap laid down by the farmers. Because of the injury the tiger is staying put in the area and it is evading the trap cages.
According to farmers, the tiger entered the area from the Karnataka side. They suspect that the tiger which was trapped there could have been released around Koorkanmoola.
The Kerala forest department officials were raising baseless allegations against farmers of Koorkanmoola, the villagers alleged.
High Court intervenes
High court directed the government to take immediate steps to ensure safety of the people in view of the reign of terror caused by tiger in Koorkanmoola and Thirunelli. The court expressed satisfaction over the steps taken so far and directed the officials to keep them posted on the fresh developments.
