Tiger sighted in agriculture field; sparks panic among villagers in Asifabad

Upon receiving information from the villagers, Forest officials rushed to the spot to ascertain whether it was a tiger.

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: A tiger was sighted in agriculture fields on the outskirts of Panapatar village in Jainoor mandal on Thursday, triggering panic among locals and residents in surrounding habitations.

A farmer Kumram Vasanth Rao claimed that he spotted a tiger sleeping in the field of Kumram Bhagavanth Rao on the edges of Pappatar village. He alerted villagers of Panapatar who in turn rushed to the field. Around 20 villagers went to the field to check whether it was a tiger. They ran helter-skelter upon after seeing the tiger in the fields.

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The villagers said the tiger entered the forests of neighboring Thadihathnoor in Narnoor mandal. Requesting forest officials to take steps to prevent loss of human and cattle, they said they were frightened to enter the fields to harvest the cotton crop, following the movement of the tiger in the fields.

Upon receiving information from the villagers, Forest officials rushed to the spot to ascertain whether it was a tiger. They advised the villagers to avoid sudden confrontation with the tiger and not to set electrified fences. Efforts were on to divert the tiger back into the forest, officials said, adding that a male tiger from Maharashtra, moving in Narnoor, had drifted towards the village.

The officials said animal trackers would be deployed, while CCTV cameras would be installed to track the movement of the migrant tiger.