Tiger resurfaces in Jagtial, kills two cows in Kodimial mandal

A tiger moving across parts of northern Telangana resurfaced in Jagtial district and killed two cows in Surampeta village in Kodimial mandal. Forest officials are tracking the animal using trap cameras and advised villagers to remain alert and avoid moving alone at night.

Jagtial: A tiger that has been moving across parts of northern Telangana over the past few weeks resurfaced in Jagtial district and killed two cows in the last two days, triggering concern among farmers and villagers.

The big cat killed a cow near Gangaram thanda on the outskirts of Surampeta village in Kodimial mandal on Sunday night. It had earlier killed another cow in the same village on Saturday night. A few days ago, the tiger’s movement was reported near the Rallavagu project on the outskirts of Konapur in Kammarpalli mandal of Nizamabad district. Recently, the animal entered Kathalapur mandal and moved towards the Thurthi forest areas through the Kalikota Suramma project, forest officials confirmed after examining pugmarks. The tiger has been moving in the Kodimial forest areas for the past two days.

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A fortnight ago, pugmarks of the tiger were found in agricultural land near the Kalikota Suramma reservoir on the outskirts of Kalikota village in Kathalapur mandal. On February 21, farmers noticed pugmarks of the big cat near their agricultural fields in the Bandagutta and Maisamma temple areas. A week later, the tiger appeared again on the outskirts of Mothkuraopet village in Bheemaram mandal and attacked oxen. The animal ran away after the cattle, present in large numbers, raised an alarm, forest officials said.

Earlier, the tiger’s movement was reported in Rajanna-Sircilla district. On the night of February 16, the big cat attacked four calves near the Thippapur hillocks in Ellanthakunta mandal. Three calves died while another sustained severe injuries. A week before that incident, it had also killed cattle near Peddalingapur village. Forest officials, who have been continuing search operations and installing trap cameras, advised farmers and villagers not to move alone at night. They also asked villagers to keep cattle near their houses instead of leaving them in forest areas and to alert officials immediately if the tiger’s movement is noticed.