[INDIANEXPRESS] Camera traps, cages, elephant patrols and audio recordings of mating calls -- the Tamil Nadu forest officials are trying everything possible to capture a tiger that has killed three people in the Nilgiris district so far.
Its first victim was Kavitha, 33, who lived near the forest area. Kavitha went missing on the evening of January 4. The next day, her partially-eaten body was found inside the forest. Three days later, on January 7, Chinnappan, 58, was found dead in the area.
But what changed the mood of the villagers from fear to panic was the last killing, on January 8. Muthulakshmi, 38, was attacked when she was returning home with other workers. The tiger leapt from the bushes and dragged her inside the forest, even as her co-workers made loud noises to scare the animal away.
Following this attack, the district administration shut down as many as 45 schools located near the forest area as a safety measure. The Doddabetta park, a popular tourist destination in the district, has also been closed until further notice. |