Asifabad: Movement of transient tiger, drifted from MS, triggers panic among villagers

A transient tiger sighting near Lodpalli and Penchikalpet villages triggered panic among residents and motorists in Kumram Bheem Asifabad. Forest officials confirmed the animal’s presence and deployed trackers and camera traps, advising villagers to avoid isolated movement and follow safety precautions

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Movement of a transient tiger triggered panic among rural folks in Penchikalpet mandal on Sunday.

Locals claimed that a tiger was sighted near a stream between Lodpalli and Penchikalpet villages on Saturday night leading to panick. The tiger reportedly chased a car on a road for some distance at the stream between the two villages. The driver sped up away and managed to escape unhurt. Motorists were anxious to take the road in the wake of the incident.

---

People, in particular students, who use the road every day expressed concern following the movement of the tiger. They urged the Forest officials to take steps to divert the animal into the wild and to take preventive measures to avoid human loss. They regretted that they were living in the grip of fear considering the killing of two persons by a tiger in the recent past.

Forest officials confirmed the presence of the tiger in the forests of Penchikalpet range. They stated that the tiger might have wandered from Maharashtra’s Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve towards the forests of Bejjur and Penchikalpet mandals. The tiger was roaming in the forests of this region. Animal trackers were deployed to track movement.

The officials noted that CCTV camera traps were installed. They advised villagers, in particular, to be cautious of the tiger. They requested to enter agriculture fields after 9 am and leave farms before 5 pm. They were urged to move in groups while taking up farm activities Shepherds were asked not to graze cattle deep inside of the forests.

Incidentally, the forests saw the arrival of a tiger after a year, cheering officials. However, Environmentalists expressed concern over safety of the transient tiger, following poaching of a resident tiger at Yellur in March 2025. They opined that the officials should make extra efforts to prevent poaching by creating awareness and involving locals in conservation of tigers.

In May of the same year, 16 persons were arrested for allegedly poaching an adult female tiger at Yellur village in Penchikalpet mandal by setting an electrified fence at a stream. Nails, skin and other body parts of the tiger and material used for killing it were seized from the accused poachers.