Movement of tigress likely to pose threat to devotees of Bugga temple

A migrant tigress named B1 has been wandering through the forests of Kannala and Dubbagudem villages in Kasipet mandal, as well as Madaram in Thandur mandal, for several weeks, causing panic among locals. The tigress has occasionally been spotted in cotton fields, raising concerns among farmers. It has killed at least two wild boars while roaming the forests, seemingly in search of territory.

Mancherial: Movement of a tiger is likely to pose a threat to devotees who are going to congregate at the ancient Sri Bugga Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple, located on a hillock in the forests near Kannala village in Bellampalli mandal in view of ensuing Sivaratri festival slated for February 26.

A migrant tigress named B1 has been roaming in the forests of Kannala village and Dubbagudem village in Kasipet mandal and Madaram of Thandur mandal for a few weeks, triggering panic among locals. It is sometimes being sighted in cotton farms, worrying farmers. It killed at least two wild boars while moving in the forests, apparently in search of territory.

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The unprecedented movement and sighting of the tigress has worried the devotees of the temple. A large number of devotees not only from several parts of the district, but also neighboring Kumram Bheem Asifabad and Maharashtra congregate at the holy place and visit the shrine. They perform special prayers by taking darshan of the lord Shiva, presiding deity of the temple.

“Sighting of the tigress has become a routine affair in the forests of Kannala village. Visiting the shrine is now fraught with danger for the devotees considering the increased movement of the tigress. Officials concerned should take preventive measures to avoid human loss and attack on devotees by wild animals,” Masa Lingamurthy, a resident of Bellampalli said.

The adult tigress belonging to Kumram Bheem Asifabad drifted towards the district in December. Since then, it has been moving in the forests of Kannala, Kothavaripet, Dubbagudem and Madaram villages. Residents of Kannala, Kothavaripet, Madaram Pathavaripet, Gundlapadu, Lingadharigudem, Ankusam, Peddaramulu, Somagudam, Station Peddanapalli, Kuntaramulu Basti, Dubbagudem, Laxmipur, Gandhinagar villages in Kasipet, Bellampalli mandals and several villages in Thandur mandal were living in the grip of fear.

Forest officials said that they were keeping a close watch on the movement of the elusive tigress. They stated that six CCTV cameras were stalled to trail the tigress. They noted that they were creating awareness over the movement of the tigress among the villagers. They added that they deployed the animal trackers to prevent human loss.