PEDDAPALLI/ ADILABAD: The Forest Department officials spotted fresh pugmarks of a tiger that has been prowling in the Koyyagutta area, located on the banks of Manair river, at Adavi Srirampur village of Muttaram mandal in the district on Sunday.
The district administration has increased vigil in rural areas along the river banks. Additional Collector V Laxminarayana has also alerted the residents of Gajulapalli and Maidabanda villages about the situation and has asked them not to venture into interior forest areas.
It maybe recalled that these fresh pugmarks were found a day after the Jayashankar-Bhupalpally forest officials found the same of a tiger at Vencharami Hill near Tadicherla village of Malharrao mandal. Though the Bhupalpally DFO had said they assume that the wild animal must have migrated to the neighbouring district, the Peddapalli forest officials have not confirmed if these two set of pugmarks belong to the same tiger.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media, the additional collector said that they have deployed additional forces along the banks of the Manair river and have enforced searches for the tiger. He urged the local residents to inform them immediately if they find the new sets of pugmarks and also requested them not to harm the wild animal if they spot it.
Adilabad farmers worried
As the forest authorities have not been able to track the tiger that has been prowling in the erstwhile Adilabad district, even after these many days, the farmers of Bela, Bellampelli and Bheemaram mandals are scared to even step out of houses, let alone go to their fields.
According to sources, a tiger has been moving along the Kasipet forest area for quite some time and has been posing a threat to cattle. Though the officials concerned have been on the hunt the for the tiger after many local complained about the attack of the wild animal on their cattle, they have not been able to track the tiger.