Mysore : In the first such incident, a tiger from Bandipur Tiger Reserve has killed two persons in three days, prompting forest officials to set a trap for its capture.

The incidents occurred near the tribal haadis (hamlets) of Moleyur Forest Range at the reserve.

The big cat had attacked and killed Cheluva, 40, from Seegevadihaadi in H D Kote taluk, while Chikka, 32, escaped with minor injuries.

The same tiger had killed one Basavaraju, 48, from Nadahaadi village, on Wednesday.
In both instances, the tiger had dealt fatal injuries to the head, crushing the victims’ skulls, and also gouged out one of Cheluva’s eyes. The same tiger was involved in both the incidents, said Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bandipur, H C Kantharaju . He ruled out that the big cat is a man-eater and said it could be either injured or aged.

Kantharaju suspected that the attacks may have occurred while the tiger tried to prey on cows being grazed by tribals.

The tiger has moved about four to six km from Nadahaadi in the last two days, after killing Basavaraju, springing free from a trap the forest officials had set up to catch it at the village. “We had set up a cage and were tracking the big cat to capture it. But, unfortunately another life was lost at Seegevadihaadi,” he said.

It looks like the tiger has been injured in a territorial fight, and it is now unable to hunt. On both ocassions, the tiger could not lay its hands on its feed,” he said.

According to Chikka, who escaped with minor injuries, the tiger attacked Cheluva at about 11 am and dragged him away. He cried for help and resisted the animal’s attack by wielding his machete.

Kantharaju said the department was making concerted efforts to capture the tiger. A team of five elephants – Abhimanyu, Jaiprakash, Kanthi, Theresa and Diana, are being brought from different camps for the operation which will begin early on Saturday.

Though a team of 50 personnel and two teams of 40 special Tiger Protection Force officials from Nagarhole and Bandipur are deputed for the operations, department veterinarian Nagaraju, and dartsman Akram will be the only two who will be involved in tracking and tranquilising the cat. The animal will be sent to the Bannerghatta National Park once captured.

Meanwhile, the department is also engaged in driving away a herd of 25 to 30 elephants that are rampaging farm areas in Sargur for the last three days, just 20 kms from the tiger attack spot.

“We are under tremendous pressure. Both the operations require immediate attention, and personnel,” added Kantharaju.

However, even as the department issued alert to residents of nearby Haadis not to venture out in the night or herd their cows close to the reserve in the wake of the tiger attacks, residents of the haadi staged a protest, demanding swift capture of the animal. People of Kandalike hobli, where both the incidents occurred, are too afraid to venture out of their homes.

Convenor of Taluk Budakattu Krishikara Sangha, Kalakalkar demanded a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the family of the deceased, employment for his wife and free education for his children.