Kumram Bheem Asifabad: A WhatsApp message, which claimed the movement of a tiger in Tiryani mandal and went viral on social media, was later found to be a fake one.
The message stated that a tiger was sighted at a stream at Koyathendi village in Tiryani mandal and triggered panic among farm laborers. “Local farm laborers were forced to stop collection of cotton balls and returned homes after spotting the tiger. They informed forest officials who in turn rushed to the spot and launched a search for the tiger,” it said.
When contacted, the In-charge District Forest Officer refuted the claim and clarified that no tiger was moving in Tiryani mandal. He requested social media users to refrain from spreading fake messages, photographs and videos of tigers. He urged the public not to panic over unconfirmed messages and news relating to movement of tigers.
As per the officials of the forest department, Tiryani forests registered movement of a tiger in 2019. No tiger has been seen in the forests of the region since then.