Pugmarks of man-mauling tiger seen in Khutar
TNN, Sep 4, 2010, 07.29am IST
LUCKNOW: The elusive tiger could still be present in Shahjahanpur forest division. The experts and officials combing the area did spot the big cat in Khutar range on Thursday.
The rains in the area have made combing difficult but team of officials and experts is continuing with it. On Friday, combing operation was carried out in Khutar range and pugmarks of the tiger were spotted between Puranpur and Khutar indicating the big cat’s presence in the area.
There have been no killings in the area so far. On August 26, a man was killed in Khutar range by the big cat. On August 29, a man was injured in Mailani range of south Kheri forest division. The forest team is keeping a constant watch and this may be preventing the tiger from shifting locations.
The officials and experts are presuming it to be the same tiger which had unleashed a reign of terror in Pilibhit and Shahjahanpur. While six men were killed and partially eaten by the tiger in Deoria range of Pilibhit between May 3 and August 10. Two men were killed and eaten by the big cat in Khutar range on August 23 and 26. The department has ordered `tranquillising and capturing the tiger’.
On the basis of camera feeds, officials are of the opinion that it is a sub-adult tiger which could be making an effort to establish its territory. The experts and officials are depending on the camera feeds and also the DNA analysis of hair samples (of the big cat) which have been collected from the sites where men were killed. Killings have all taken place inside forest area but as far as tiger’s behaviour is concerned, it has gone aggressive now, at least in the last two killings which took place in Shahjahanpur
