After five tigers were spotted at Nanjadevapura in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district, raising a scare in the village, Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre directed officials on Tuesday to capture and relocate the felines at the earliest.
Prohibitory orders have been imposed at Nanjadevapura and two other villages after drone footage of the five tigers walking around a stone quarry created a scare. An emergency meeting was held on Tuesday to review the situation at the village.
Noting that the tigers had appeared on private farmland and were causing panic among residents, the minister instructed officials to take measures to prevent the loss of human life. Strategies to safely capture and relocate the animals were also discussed during the meeting.
Drones and thermal cameras will be deployed to monitor the movement of the tigers, and villagers will be alerted immediately if the tigers approach settlements, Khandre told officials.
Noting a recent attack on forest personnel during a tiger rescue operation, Khandre asked officials to ensure that the operations do not provoke tiger attacks on forest personnel.
Extra veterinarians to dart the tigers, sharpshooters, and elephants required for the operation will be deployed, he said, adding that prohibitory orders would be strictly enforced to prevent locals from gathering near the operation zone.
There has been a spike in tiger attacks, especially along the Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves in southern Karnataka. Three people have been killed in the last two months due to tiger attacks, forcing the forest department to capture several felines.