Kalpetta: Forest department personnel and police were on high alert for several hours on Monday following rumours of tiger movement in farmland at Pachilakkad near Kalpetta in Wayanad. Reports had emerged that a farm labourer, Baby, employed at the farm of Johnny Thaiparambil, had gone missing since morning, triggering fears that the animal may have attacked him. It was later confirmed that the labourer was alive and safe.

Residents also claimed that they had seen a tiger moving through the farmland and nearby paddy fields, prompting demands for a thorough search of the area. Acting swiftly, Rapid Response Teams from the Mananthavady and Kalpetta forest divisions carried out a search operation at the site. However, forest officials said pugmarks found in the area were confirmed to be those of a tiger.

Kalpetta Divisional Forest Officer Ajit K Raman said the rumours of a missing person had caused panic, but the situation stabilised once the labourer was located. To track the animal’s movement, the forest department has deployed a thermal drone, he said.

Police teams from the Kambalakkad and Panamaram stations are camping in the area, while the North Wayanad DFO is preparing a proposal to form a technical committee in line with National Tiger Conservation Authority guidelines. The proposal will be submitted to the Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Region), with further action to be decided based on the committee’s assessment.

The forest department has assured round-the-clock surveillance in the area to allay public fears and ensure swift response in case of any untoward incident, especially during night hours. Officials noted that during the tiger mating season, big cats often stray beyond their usual territories in search of mates. Instances of tigers being pushed out of their territories due to conflicts with dominant males are also common during this period.