ADILABAD: Two tigers that migrated from Maharashtra’s Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve are causing panic among residents in the erstwhile Adilabad district. On Sunday morning, a tiger killed nine goats on the outskirts of Dhanapur village in Asifabad mandal, further escalating fear among locals.
Meanwhile, forest officials have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in 15 villages due to the tigers roaming in the forest areas of Kagaznagar and Sirpur (T) mandals. Residents have been advised to remain vigilant and promptly report any tiger sightings to the authorities.
According to the forest officials, one tiger has been roaming the Sirpur T mandal for over a month and was recently spotted in Itiykalphad village. The second tiger has been active in the Kerameri range of Kumurambheem Asifabad district, where it attacked goats in Dhanapur. They believe the tigers crossed the Pranahitha and Penganga rivers to enter Telangana from Maharashtra.
Although a woman farmer recently died in a suspected tiger attack, forest officials denied claims that the tigers are man-eaters, noting that they had no history of attacking humans in Maharashtra. Despite this, fear continues to grip farmers in Kagaznagar and Sirpur T mandals.
When informed about the attack in Dhanapur, Asifabad range officer Sardar Govind Singh and his team visited the area but failed to find pugmarks. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Elusing Meru also visited the district, inspecting the health of R Suresh, a tiger attack victim from Dubbaguda village undergoing treatment in a Mancherial hospital.
Officials confirmed his condition is stable.
Meru inspected the Itiykalphad village area, just five km from the Maharashtra border, where tiger movement has been identified. The officials reported that one tiger moves frequently between Maharashtra and Telangana, potentially searching for a mate.
Forest officials attribute the increasing human-tiger conflict to podu cultivation, a practice where forest land is cleared for agriculture. Tribals have applied for podu pattas for one lakh acres, adding to the tension. Around 12 border villages in Maharashtra and Telangana are facing tiger-related issues. Officials believe relocating these villages could mitigate the danger to both humans and tigers.
Efforts are underway to address the conflict. Forest officials are considering using tranquilizers to capture and relocate the tigers back to Maharashtra. However, one tiger continues to roam agricultural fields rather than forested areas.
