Malappuram tiger attack: Forest dept continues search for man-eater
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Malappuram: Search operations continued on Saturday for the tiger that killed a rubber-tapping worker near Kalikavu two days ago, though forest officials have yet to detect any signs of the animal’s presence in the area.
According to the Nilambur South Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Dhanik Lal, more than 50 camera traps and thermal drone cameras have been deployed, but so far, no sightings or evidence of the tiger have been recorded.
"However, the search operations will continue. We are using Google Maps and geo-tagging likely spots of the tiger's movement to set up the cameras for maximum area coverage," the officer told a local television channel.
He added that the thermal drones surveyed a wide area the previous day and would now be used to monitor the adjacent locations. Dense undergrowth in certain areas is also being considered as potential hiding spots for the tiger.
“To clear such hideouts, we will engage with local farmers’ groups and the panchayat. Their cooperation will be essential to remove the dense vegetation,” he said.
The forest department has confirmed that operations will persist until the tiger is located and captured. Along with cameras and drone surveillance, the department has deployed Kumki elephants (trained captive tuskers) and three search teams comprising 20 forest personnel each. The teams are equipped with tranquiliser guns and include veterinarians to assist in safely capturing the animal.
The victim, 45-year-old Gafoor, was fatally attacked and dragged into the forest by the tiger on Thursday while on his way to work with a friend for rubber-tapping duties.
With PTI inputs
