Tiger that killed woman on November 24 captured in Mysuru

Mysuru: The three-day long day and night operation that started on November 25 by 207 personnel led by Bandipur Conservator of Forest P Ramesh Kumar finally bore the fruit around 3 am on Tuesday morning.

The tiger that killed 49-year-old Rathnamma near Balluru hundi village in the Hediyala range of Bandipur forest in Nanjangud taluk Mysuru district on Friday has been successfully rescued, CF Ramesh Kumar confirmed.

The teams had intensified their operation since the tiger had even killed one cattle at Kaalanamunti and another at Kallaare Kandi on Sunday, two kilometers from the spot where it had killed Rathnamma.

There was a camera trap image of the Tiger which had come to eat the flesh of cattle near Kallaara kandi at 6.53 pm on Monday.

Wildlife veterinarians including Dr Mirza Wasim of Bandipur Tiger Reserve and Dr Pradeep of Kali Tiger reserve, hid themselves in a cage near Kallaara Kandi area of Omkar range bordering with Hediyala Range close to Balluru Hundi village.

They shot the dart when it came there and rescued it on Tuesday morning, CF Ramesh Kumar told.

Credit: Special arrangement/ Bandipur CF Ramesh Kumar

It is a 10 year old male Tiger. It has been shifted to Shri Chamundeshwari wild animals rescue and rehabilitation center at Koorgalli in Mysuru and it is healthy, Hediyala Range RFO K R Narayan informed.

Bandipur CF Ramesh Kumar, Hediyala sub division ACF Parmesh, RFO K R Narayan and other officials were present at the spot and led the operation. Chief Conservator of Forest Mysuru circle Malathi Priya monitored the operation.

Credit: Special arrangement/ Bandipur CF Ramesh Kumar

They had pressed in personnel of Hediyala and Nugu ranges, Special Tiger Protection force of HD Kote handpost, Leopard task force of Mysuru, Elephant Task Force of Hunsur, tribals of Naganapura, Doranakatte, Venkatagiri, Vadeyanapura colonies for operation.

Elephants Parthasarathi, Hiranya, Rohitha were also used. They had fixed Camera traps, used drones to trace its movements. They had also placed cages including a Cattle pen cage of Tumkur (Cattle shed like cage) to rescue it.

According to RFO K R Narayan, Rathnamma was killed by the tiger while she was rearing her cow 200 meters within the Hediyala range on Friday.

She had earlier been warned by forest officials on Thursday when she was rearing it in the same place.