Movement of tiger triggers panic in Asifabad

Some local farmers who were harvesting the cotton crop spotted pugmarks of a tiger near the tank and alerted residen

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Movement of a tiger at an irrigation tank sparking a panic among villagers at Kondapalli village in Penchikalpet mandal on Monday.

Some local farmers who were harvesting the cotton crop spotted pugmarks of a tiger near the tank and alerted residents of the village. They said that they recorded pugmarks of the tiger using mobile phones and informed Forest officials about its presence. They expressed concern over their safety following the movement of the tiger, adding they were living in the grip of fear.

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Forest officials said that they were tracking movement of the tiger. They stated a tiger from Maharashtra was wandering in the forests of Penchikalpet range in search of territory. They advised the villagers to be cautious. They urged the farmers not to set electrified fences meant for preventing damage of crops by wild animals, posing a threat to lives of the tigers.

They told the villagers to avoid sudden confrontation with the tiger. They asked the residents not to depend on forests for firewood, grazing cattle and other needs. They suggested the farmers enter agriculture farms after 10 am and leave fields before 4 am. They requested the cotton growers to move in groups and make noise while harvesting cotton.

On November 29 in 2020, Pasula Nirmala (17), a tribal girl who was mauled to death by a tiger while she was harvesting the cotton crop at the same village on November 29 in 2020. Sidam Vignesh was killed by a tiger at Digida village in Dahegaon mandal on November 11, 2020.