Gudalur: A massive hunt is underway in the O' Valley Town Panchayat area to capture a man-eating tiger that has killed two people in the span of just 13 days. Forest department officials believe the tiger is currently roaming within a two-kilometre radius.

Two specialised darting teams are currently camping in the area to tranquilise the predator. To aid the search, two kumki (trained) elephants, including the famed Bomman, have been brought in from the Theppakadu elephant camp at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, allowing veterinarians to safely dart the tiger from a height.

In addition to the elephants, a specialised task force from the Theni forest division has joined the operations. Officials have set up 130 camera traps and placed 12 large cages in strategic locations. However, forest staff note that the tiger appears highly resilient and healthy, making it reluctant to enter the cages. There are strong suspicions that this is the same tiger that previously attacked a woman at TR Bazar. Even then, the animal avoided the cages, and subsequent camera traps failed to capture its image. It is highly likely the tiger migrated from TR Bazar to Lauriston. The dense coffee plantations and steep, rugged terrain have turned this search into a highly challenging and dangerous mission, prompting authorities to warn local residents against stepping outdoors.

A region at a standstill
Meanwhile, a 48-hour bandh called in the Gudalur constituency completely paralysed normal life. Protesters demanded that the man-eating tiger be shot on sight and that the compensation for the families of the victims be increased. By the second day of the strike, the influx of tourists from Kerala had slowed to a trickle. Protesters blocked several vehicles entering Gudalur, though the police quickly intervened to clear the roads and escort stranded travellers.

Vehicles arriving in Gudalur were given police escorts to ensure safe passage. Earlier in the day, a group of locals tried to block traffic at Nanthatti on Kozhikode road, but they were soon dispersed by the police.

Shops, business establishments, and markets across the constituency remained closed for the second consecutive day. While schools technically remained open, student attendance was virtually non-existent. The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) drastically reduced its bus services, with the few operational buses running completely empty. Major tea estates in the region also halted operations.

Heightened security and disruptions
At the Vazhikkadavu border checkpoint, Kerala police turned back tourists heading towards Gudalur as a precautionary measure. Incidents of violence were also reported, with three vehicles, including a tourist vehicle from Areacode, a police jeep, and a forest department vehicle, suffering shattered windows in stone-pelting incidents near Pandiyar on Kozhikode road.

Security was tight across the constituency, with additional forces deployed at border checkpoints, including the Thaloor checkpoint, where vehicles were closely monitored. The Nilgiris Superintendent of Police personally visited Gudalur to oversee the law and order situation. Traders in Erumad, Pattavayal, and Panthalur had initially planned a one-day strike, they extended it to match the 48-hour shutdown. The impact was felt as far as Ooty, where tourist numbers dropped sharply, dealing a severe blow to the local hospitality sector.

The failure to capture the tiger despite an eight-day-long intensive campaign by the forest department has fueled public anger. Locals claim that wild elephants and tigers are increasingly encroaching on residential areas near Gudalur, with predators abandoning the forests to attack humans. The 48-hour bandh is scheduled to end at 06:00 today, but anxiety remains high as the search for the elusive tiger continues.