Telangana: Man-animal conflict returns to Asifabad after 2 years

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The district has registered a disturbing man-animal conflict after a gap of two years. It had last seen the killing of two humans within a little over a fortnight in 2020. In two separate incidents, two tribal teenagers were killed by a tiger titled A2 when they were working in their agriculture […]

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The district has registered a disturbing man-animal conflict after a gap of two years. It had last seen the killing of two humans within a little over a fortnight in 2020.

In two separate incidents, two tribal teenagers were killed by a tiger titled A2 when they were working in their agriculture fields on November 11 and 29. The victims were Sidam Vignesh (19), a tribal youngster of Digida village in Dahegaon mandal and Pasula Nirmala (18) from Kondapalli village in Penchikalpet mandal.

---

On Tuesday, an elderly tribal farmer was allegedly mauled to death by a big cat when he was harvesting cotton balls in a field on the fringes of the forest and on the edges of the Gondapur hamlet in Wankidi mandal. The victim, Sidam Bheem’s relatives have alleged that he died on the spot after being attacked by a tiger.

Incidentally, a tiger was spotted by farmers when moving in the edges of the forests and in agriculture fields of Kosini, Ootpalli and Regulaguda villages in Kaghaznagar mandal in October. It was learnt that the tiger, made the region its home for two years and delivered two cubs recently, had also attacked a cow belonging to a herd of cattle which were grazing in the forests of Kosini on October 11.

Unsuccessful operation

Authorities of the forest department made a vain bid to capture the big cat. A team of officials led by Field director to Kawal Tiger Reserve CP Vinod Kumar camped at Kandi Bheemanna region of Talayi beat in Bejjur range to monitor the operation for two months.

The officials erected a wooden machan, kept a cage trap and arranged a shed for staffers at the spot in Bejjur range. They strategically put a live bait, a cow about 20 metres away from the trap to draw the tiger. They, however, did not succeed. The operation was suspended with the tiger returning to Maharashtra.