Tiger sighted again near cotton farm, panic among villagers in Asifabad

Forest officials said that a team was scanning the fields to gather pugmarks of the tiger. They believed that a tiger from Maharashtra might have strayed into the forests of Wankidi in search of territory and a partner for mating

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Yet another sighting of a tiger in a cotton farm triggered panic among locals in Wankidi mandal centre on Tuesday.

Locals said that a tiger was sighted in a cotton farm belonging to Thukaram from Wankidi mandal centre on Monday. They stated that the tiger was moving in the cotton fields for the last few days, affecting harvesting of the cotton and farming activities of farmers. They added that a farmer fell unconscious after hearing the tiger roaring.

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Forest officials said that a team was scanning the fields to gather pugmarks of the tiger. They believed that a tiger from Maharashtra might have strayed into the forests of Wankidi in search of territory and a partner for mating. They urged the farmers to be cautious of the movement of the tiger and to move in groups containing at least 20 members.

Meanwhile, the tiger, which allegedly killed a woman and attacked a farmer, reportedly moved on the banks of a stream near Itikalapahad village in Sirpur (T) mandal early on Tuesday morning. Locals claimed that the pugmarks of the tiger were spotted on the banks of a stream located on the outskirts of Itikalapahad village.

Forest officials already declared a tiger was moving on the borders of Telangana and Maharashtra for the last two days.

They stated that it might be shuttling between the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district of the neighboring state and the forests of Sirpur (T).

They requested the farmers not to enter farms till 10 am and to leave agriculture fields before 4 pm.