Wayanad: Tiger remains elusive even after 8 days of combing; Pregnant cow killed in latest attack

Sulthan Bathery: For the eighth consecutive day, the efforts of the forest department were thwarted by the still elusive man-eating tiger of Moodakolly village. While the intense search operations were underway, the tiger came to Njattadi region and managed to kill a cow that was tied in a cow shed. 

Some farmers who were collecting grass in the Valavayal Choondiani field spotted the tiger around 5 PM. By the time the mission team arrived with preparations to shoot the tiger, the man-eater crossed to another area. For about one and a half hours, the forest department managed to cordon off the tiger within a field but failed to shoot it. At 7 PM, the mission was dropped. The area being a populated one created issues for shooting the tiger.

The tiger attacked the two-and-a-half-year-old pregnant cow at 11 PM on Saturday. When the family opened the door after hearing the commotion, they saw the tiger dragging the cow. The tiger retreated when the neighbours also gathered there and started making noise. The cow suffered a deep bite on her neck and bled to death instantly.

The attack on the cow happened within a 4-km radius of the place where the dairy farmer was mauled to death by the tiger. The inspection carried out by the forest department confirmed the tiger’s presence here. A cage has been set up 20-meters from this spot with the cow’s carcass as bait. 

This is the fifth time that the tiger has been spotted in the area. The local residents are in great fear as the man-eater seems to be roaming and hunting even during the day.