KAKINADA: Forest department officials have issued alerts to Prathipadu and Gollaprolu mandal residents as it was confirmed that a male tiger has been roaming around Sarabhavaram, Ommangi, Chintaluru and Pothuluru villages.
Around 8.30 am on Monday, a MGNREGS worker reportedly found the tiger near the Pushkara lift irrigation pump house between Kodavali-Gollaprolu villages. Though the forest officials rushed to the spot to trap it, the tiger was not found. The officials inspected visuals of CCTV cameras and said the animal might be staying around 10 metres away from the pump house, behind the hill.
Three large cages have been brought to Prathipadu mandal and an animal rescue van from Visakhapatnam. A massive search has been launched and more than 120 forest officials, rescue teams, police, veterinary doctors and staff are looking for a way to catch it.
People of nearby villages of Prathipadu and Gollaprolu mandals such as Serabhavaram, Ommangi, Kodavali and Pothuluru are in a grip of fear. Majority of the farmers rear livestock and they are afraid to graze their cows, goats and buffaloes in the open fields. For the last 16 days, the tiger has been roaming around the villages.
Two buffaloes were killed in Pothuluru 15 days ago and after a few days, six buffaloes were killed at Ommangi, Podurupaka and Serabhavaram on May 23. A buffalo was killed at Kodavali-Gollaprolu on May 27. The Kodavali and Serabhavaram Panchayat chairpersons reported the matter to the forest officials.
On May 27, the forest officials confirmed it as a tiger and said it was staying near the Pushkara lift irrigation pump house. The officials set up more than 40 CCTV cameras in the area. The tiger was found once again near the pump house at 8.30 am on Monday. With this, a high alert has been sounded in the area.