Kumram Bheem Asifabad: A tiger that was triggering panic among locals while moving on the borders of Maharashtra and Telangana was captured at Athmaramguda village in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra late on Tuesday night.
It is learnt that a male tiger was caged and tranquilized in the forests of the Athmaramguda. The tiger was then shifted to a zoo in Chandrapur district centre. It will be released in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) of Chandrapur district after providing required medication soon.
A week-long operation to capture the tiger ended successfully, bringing relief to the locals. Following the movement of the tiger, people of not only several villages in Rajura Taluq of Chandrapur district, but Sirpur (T) mandal here too lived in the grip of fear for quite a long time.
However, Forest officials from Telangana have not confirmed the capture of the tiger. They were reportedly maintaining secrecy as part of guidelines of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
Tigers from TATR continue to migrate to the forests of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district in search of territory and partners for mating in winter. However, some of them attack humans in agriculture fields, striking terror in rural parts of the district and affecting farm operations.
On November 29, Morle Lakshmi (21) was mauled by a tiger to death while she was engaged in harvesting the cotton crop at Easgaon village in Kagaznagar mandal. The same tiger was suspected to have attacked Rauthu Suresh at Dubbagudem village in Sirpur (T) mandal on November 30. Farmers have been living on the edge since then.
In August last, a nine-year-old tiger that had killed six persons in a span of two months in Chandrapur district was captured. The Forest officials spent two months in order to trap the tiger.