BELAGAVI: Residents of several villages in Khanapur taluk have been spending sleepless nights after some villagers recently reported a tiger prowling in the nearby areas. Some residents of Jamboti, Kankumbi, Golihalli, Hemadga, Nagargali and surrounding areas claimed to have sighted the striped cat moving in and around human habitations.
According to villagers of Hemadga, at least 25 cattle heads have been killed by wildcats recently. According to them, it is a tiger that has been snatching their livestock. However, forest officials said that the animals are leopards, not tigers. But the villagers are not convinced.
It can be noted that the Adulkar family of Koskopp Gavali Wada near Nagargali village had claimed to have spotted a tiger killing their sheep on December 23. They said that they were having their breakfast when the tiger, which came from nowhere, attacked their sheep which was tied to a pole and killed it. They said it was 100 per cent a tiger and they have seen it very closely.
When contacted, Forest Department officials said that some miscreants were spreading rumours and creating panic among villagers. They said they have already laid camera traps in the areas where the villagers suspect that tiger was moving around and yet nothing has been traced.