Man-eating tiger spotted in Malappuram

Malappuram: The tiger that killed a man in Kalikavu was spotted on Wednesday in an agricultural area of Karuvarakundu, away from the Ravuthan forest.

A youngster spotted the tiger around 2:30 pm at the upper part of the Panther Sultan Estate. After he informed the authorities, both residents and forest department officials arrived at the spot. However, the first response team did not have firearms at their disposal.

Later, when the team returned with rifles, it was reported that the tiger had moved from its earlier location towards the Arthal Estate.

Residents and the forest team continued the search for the tiger late into the night. Shailesh Pattikkad, a member of the Kalikavu Block Panchayat, also reported having seen the tiger. He added that he had informed the authorities earlier after noticing the tiger drinking from the river on multiple occasions.

Farmers and workers in the highland farming areas of Karuvarakundu have frequently encountered the tiger and the remains of its prey. They alleged that even after repeatedly informing the forest department, no serious action was taken. The last time forest officials directly sighted the tiger was on March 10, near Cheenipadi. Later, tappers working in Kerala Estate also reported close encounters with the animal.

Abdul Gafoor (50), a rubber-tapping worker, was killed by the tiger on May 17 in Ravuthan forest, which lies adjacent to the Karuvarakundu Panchayat and close to Kalikavu.