Athmallik: Tension gripped the residents of Lehedi under Athmallik forest range in Angul district after a cow was found dead in the village Tuesday. Irate locals alleged the cow was mauled to death by the Royal Bengal Tigress Sundari.
Locals said the cow was grazing in a forest near the village when the tigress mauled it. It was found dead with serious injury marks. Villagers suspected that the two-year-old tigress might have strayed into the forest and attacked the cow.
This spread panic as locals feared that the big cat has started straying into villages. Meanwhile, forest officials reached the village and launched a probe.
“We have seized the carcass and sent it for autopsy, the exact reason will be known after arrival of the post-mortem report,” a senior forest official said.
The officials have given the necessary compensation to the owner of the cow, it was learnt.
The area has been in the grip of Sundari scare for a week after a woman was allegedly mauled to death at Hatibari village and five cattle were found dead at Bipradi village near Athmallik forest range border Friday.
Angered over these incidents, locals had set ablaze Tikarpada range office, a vehicle of the forest department, residential quarters, three bungalows and six boats. Besides, many government properties worth lakhs of rupees had been vandalised, demanding relocation of the tigress.
On the other hand, a team from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) which is in Angul to study the behaviour of the tigress maintained that there was no question of shifting the big cat to any other place and she will continue to stay in Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
“This is an ambitious mission taken up by the National Tiger Conservation Authority to increase the number of big cats in the country. As this project is finalised, any alteration and change in the decision will be very difficult. We have studied several aspects of this project in detail and any problem arising on this issue would be settled in a sustained manner,” WII expert Dr Ramesh had said while speaking to reporters Monday.
PNN
