The man-eating tiger that has allegedly been terrorising the Kalikavu region in Malappuram for nearly two months has finally been captured by the forest department.
The tiger, which allegedly mauled and killed Gafoor, a rubber-tapping worker in Karuvarakund, Kalikavu, was caught in a cage set up three weeks ago in the Sultana Estate.
Guest workers spotted the trapped tiger on Friday morning, and officials believe it had entered the cage the previous night. The female tiger, estimated to be around 13 years old, had sustained a facial wound from repeatedly hitting the cage’s bars in an attempt to escape.
Meanwhile, residents have demanded that the animal not be released back into the wild. Many have insisted it be either shot or transferred to a zoo. “We don’t feel safe even now. If they let it back into the forest, it will come back,” a local protester said. Hundreds of people gathered in the area to voice their concerns, following which the forest department decided to shift the tiger to the Thrissur zoo.
Gafoor, a native of Chokkad, Kallamula, was allegedly killed by the tiger on May 15 while he was tapping rubber in a plantation at Rauthangattu. His colleague, Samad, raised an alarm after seeing the attack, but by the time locals arrived, Gafoor was found dead.
Despite repeated efforts by the 60-member Rapid Response Team (RRT), the tiger had evaded capture for 52 days. The team had multiple sightings of the animal and reportedly even came under attack during one of their attempts to capture it, escaping with injuries.
The prolonged threat caused severe disruption in the area, with rubber farmers unable to step out for work, resulting in financial distress.