The tiger which is suspected to have killed a boy in Belluru village in Kodagu district on Monday has proved to be elusive despite a marathon search using six trained elephants.
The boy’s death has sparked outrage in the region. This was the third death in as many weeks due to a tiger attack and the Forest Department was forced to launch a combing operation with a mandate to trap and tranquilise it or shoot and put it down as a last resort.
But despite a massive operation involving the use of thermal drone apart from six elephants, the tiger has so far proved to be elusive and was not even sighted, said Mahesh Kumar, Director, Nagarahole Tiger Reserve. The tiger has been identified as a 11 year-old male that has been camera-trapped since 2013 in Nagarahole and is suspected to have been ejected out in a territorial fight with another tiger.
A large contingent of officials from Kodagu and Mysuru district are camping in the region. The elephants cannot venture deep into the area as the place has swamp-like conditions. The tuskers being used for combing repeatedly get stuck in the swamp and are forced to retreat.
The combing operation was suspended late in the evening and will resume at dawn on Wednesday.
