Killer tigress still elusive in UP

The tigress, which had devoured six people so far in some western Uttar Pradesh districts and was declared a man-eater with orders being issued to kill it, remained elusive even as searching teams and hunters were hot on its trail.

According to the reports, tracking teams have launched a massive search operations in Bijnore district, where the tigress had been seen last, to get the location of the big cat. 

Two of the three hunters being roped in by the forest department to kill the tigress, have also joined the hunt, reports said.

“The recent rains have turned out to be a major obstacle in the path of tracking the tigress. The pug marks have been washed away by the rains,” the forest officials said.

Two trained female elephants had also been helping the tracking team to help locate the tigress while the local villagers too have joined the operation, sources said. 

Five search team had been formed for the purpose. They will be headed by the forest ranger, the sources added.

Officials have asked the people not to venture into the forests or their fields alone. They have been advised to go to their fields only in groups.  

The tigress, which has been prowling in the districts in Moradabad division for past several days, has so far devoured six people in Bijnore, Sambhal and Moradabad districts.

Sources said the tigress could have strayed into the human habitation from the forests near the Corbett National Park.

The killings have created panic among the residents in the area and the people had blocked traffic on the busy Hardwar-Moradabad road demanding that it be declared a man-eater and killed forthwith.

The locals had later also held demonstrations against the failure of the forest department to trap the tigress. 

The officials feared that the matter could snowball into a major law and order issue.All attempts by the local forest officials to locate and trap the tigress have failed.DH News Service