ONGOLE: The villages surrounding the Nallamala forest at Ardhaveedu mandal in Prakasam district are on edge following a tiger attack that killed an ox.
The incident occurred earlier this week when farmer Ch Venkat Rao of Velagalapaya village let his two oxen graze in the Kurava area near the forest. While one returned home the next day, the other went missing.
After a frantic search by the farmer and villagers, the carcass of the missing ox was found on Wednesday. Signs of a tiger attack were evident.
Forest department officials, including Forest Officer Gaffar and Veterinary Doctor Sridhar, inspected the site, conducted a formal inquiry, and confirmed it was a tiger attack.
Venkat Rao expressed his anguish, citing the financial strain of replacing the ox, valued at Rs 80,000.
To prevent further attacks, forest officials have installed trap cameras to monitor tiger movements and have urged villagers to avoid grazing cattle in forest areas temporarily.
The department continues to monitor the situation.