'Bengal Tiger likely to turn into maneater'

(Kakinada District): The Royal Bengal Tiger could not be trapped allegedly owing to the futile efforts and apathy of the forest department officials. 'The tiger is likely to turn into maneater if prolonged negligence is committed by the officials.'

According to sources, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has appointed Kanthimahanti Murthy, who is not a tiger catching expert, but a mere snake catcher from Visakhapatnam. Murthy of Eastern Ghats Wildlife Society (EGWS) had no direct experience of participating in any tiger rescue operation. 'And the tiger experts from different parts of the country are expressing fear over the way the rescue operation is being designed and executed.'

In May, Murthy failed to identify the pug marks of the big cat at Narsipatnam of Anakapalli district.

He misguided and diverted the attention of the forest authorities by confirming the pug marks as that of a leopard. However, tiger experts confirmed the pugmarks belongs to tiger. Some experts opined that the tiger may become a man-eater, if the efforts to trap it fail.

On the other hand, the forest officials have confessed that they never saw the Bengal Tiger directly except in the camera and pug marks. And have little knowledge or awareness about the peculiar behaviour of the big cat.

The Bengal Tiger has been roaming around in some of the territories in Pothuluru, Ommangi, Sarabhavaram, Kodavali, Kodurulanka, Pandavulu Palem, Podataka of Prahtipadu mandal for the past 15 days. So far, it killed seven cattle in the territory. On Thursday late night, it dragged the carcass of the cow and left it at a certain distance. Again, it attacked two buffalos, which escaped from the tiger.

For the last 15 days, nearly 140 forest department personnel are pressed into work to catch the tiger in the territory. The team with rescue vans, nets and tranquilizers went into the forest compartments where the big cat was spotted a day before in Prathipadu territory.

Psychologist APJ Venu told The Hans India that the State government was not serious on the rescue of the tiger. It has failed to bring tiger experts from anywhere in India. Despite having enough timing, one week, the State government could not get the suitable expert.

Majority of the people in Prathipadu mandal are tension-ridden and spending sleepless nights and they urged the government to get experts from other States like West Bengal, Madya Pradesh and Kerala for trapping the tiger.

When 'The Hans India' contacted

the DFO IKV Raju, he declined to attend the call.

TDP leader Varupula Raja stated that the Bengal Tiger is indulging in a spate of killings and people have become panicky and are passing through agonising ordeal. There is no information regarding the exact number of cattle killed by the tiger. He said the tiger came from Maredumilli forest area and started killing cattle. Raja warned that all farmers and people would unite by holding agitation soon.