Hyderabad, February 8: A wave of fear has gripped Siddipet district in Telangana due to a tiger’s repeated attacks on livestock. The Telangana forest department has intensified efforts to capture the tiger.
Panic spread in the village of Arepalli, Kohida Mandal, when farmers spotted the tiger near their fields. The animal has killed five calves near Chandranik Thanda, causing significant losses for farmer Malot Ramesh.
Following reports from locals, forest officials, accompanied by police, arrived at the scene to collect paw prints. They advised farmers to keep their livestock secured at home rather than tethered in fields.
The department also warned farmers against venturing into fields alone. Special caution was advised for women, the elderly, and children.
Previously, the tiger had attacked livestock in the villages of Ghanapur, Akkenapalli, and Basavapuram. In Ghanapur, it killed one calf and severely injured another. Farmer Bal Reddy reported finding one calf dead and another injured upon arriving at his cattle shed.
After the incidents, the forest department team began monitoring the tiger’s movements based on the paw prints. Camera traps are being set up in areas where livestock has been preyed upon.
On Saturday, reports of the tiger’s presence emerged from several villages in the Dhoolmitta Mandal. Farmers in the fields of Bairanpalli, Kootigal, and Bekkal discovered paw prints, prompting the forest department to initiate a search operation.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid going into fields alone until it is confirmed that the tiger has left the area, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance.
It is believed that this tiger has entered Siddipet from the neighboring Jangaon district. Just the day before, it had attacked livestock in the villages of Ammapur and Veldanda in Jangaon. Another incident was reported in Mandlagudem village of Raghunathpalli Mandal, where a calf was killed.
Concerns are growing that this tiger may have crossed into Telangana from Maharashtra.
Notably, this marks the second tiger-related incident in the Telugu states within a week. On February 6, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department successfully captured a tiger that had been roaming around villages near Rajahmundry, causing fear among locals. This tiger was also suspected to have entered Andhra Pradesh from Maharashtra, passing through Telangana and Chhattisgarh.