Forest officials on Sunday trapped a tiger in Karuvarakundu in Malappuram district after it was spotted inside a cage set up in the area. A group of labourers passing through noticed the animal and immediately alerted the Forest Department, which promptly initiated further procedures.

Officials suspect it could be the same tiger that killed a rubber-tapping worker, Ghafoor, at Kalikavu on May 15. Ghafoor and a colleague were working in the plantation when the tiger attacked. While one escaped, Ghafoor was mauled and dragged away.

Tension prevails in Kalikavu after locals staged a protest demanding that the tiger trapped by the Forest Department be shot dead or relocated to a zoo. Residents fear that releasing the animal back into the wild could lead to more human-wildlife conflicts.

A local resident found the tiger inside a cage set up 53 days ago in the Sultan Estate area. While paw print analysis suggests it could be the man-eater that killed a tapping worker in May, officials have not confirmed this.

Villagers claim more tigers are roaming the region and say the continued threat has kept them from going out for work. Protesters expressed frustration over the delay in confirming whether the captured animal is the same one involved in the fatal attack.
Meanwhile, Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the tiger will remain in Forest Department custody and assured it would not be released immediately. A final decision will be made after expert evaluation.