Telangana: 20 CCTV cameras installed to track killer big cat in Asifabad

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Around 20 CCTV camera traps have been installed to track the movement of a big cat which allegedly killed a tribal farmer at Gondapur village in Wankidi mandal on Tuesday. District Forest Officer G Dinesh Kumar said that high-end CCTV camera traps were installed in different parts of Wankidi mandal to track […]

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Around 20 CCTV camera traps have been installed to track the movement of a big cat which allegedly killed a tribal farmer at Gondapur village in Wankidi mandal on Tuesday.

District Forest Officer G Dinesh Kumar said that high-end CCTV camera traps were installed in different parts of Wankidi mandal to track the movement of the particular big cat, with officials not yet sure whether it was a tiger or leopard that killed the farmer. He stated 15 animal trackers were deployed to trail the elusive cat, which was yet to establish its path but was suspected to have entered the forests of Kaghaznagar division.

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The DFO further stated that blood samples of the farmer, swab and fur of the animal were sent to the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad to ascertain whether it was a tiger or leopard. The result of the medical investigation is expected to be received on Friday or Saturday. A compensation of Rs 5 lakh would be given to the kin of the victim once the post-mortem report was received, he informed.

Forest officials suspect the tiger or leopard that killed the 69-year old Sidam Bheem might have entered the wild areas of Wankidi from Jivithi of Maharashtra. They said it had made a failed attempt to kill a calf at Gondapur before killing the farmer. The size of pugmarks was smaller than that of a tiger. It could be a juvenile tiger or leopard, they suspected.

Rural public in fear

Meanwhile, dwellers of Khanapur, Gondapur, Samela, Kanargaon and many other villages in Wankidi mandal, Anantapur and Parandholi villages in Kerameri mandals are jittery , following the movement of a tiger which drifted towards Telangana from neighboring Maharashtra. Farmers suspended collection of cotton balls in the wake of the human kill as well.