Bantala: Forest personnel Wednesday were keeping a close watch on the movement of the Royal Bengal tigress Sundari and waiting for an opportune moment to ensnare it even as it was reported to be moving between Hatidhar reserve jungle and rural forests adjoining Kamalpur and Rangapur villages under Athamallik forest division of Angul district, forest officials said.
Sundari has sparked panic in villages in Satkosia sanctuary in the district after allegedly mauling a woman to death.
Additional Chief Conservator of Forests Sudarshan Panda said forest personnel were watching and waiting for the chance to capture Sundari
Meanwhile, Angul sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Harihar Pani and a forensic team from Dhenkanal launched a probe into the death of the woman.
The woman, Kailashi Sai, wife of Kirtan Sai, of Hatibari under Purunakote police limits was allegedly killed by Sundari when she was taking bath in a pond September 12. The SDPO and the forensic team visited the spot in Hatibari village.
They inspected the pond where the woman was taking her bath before she was found dead, the pugmarks and the place where her body was found.
They also scanned the suspected claw marks on the ground made by the tigress when dragging the woman away from the pond and also collected faeces from the spot. They also photographed all the evidence.
They also collected splinters of firecrackers, a tiffin box and upholstery left by the forest officials on the spot after they noticed the tigress following the death of the woman and tried to drive it away by bursting crackers.
The SDPO and the forensic team later visited the Hatibari beat house, Tikarpada forest range office, ranger’s residence, Tikarpada beat house, burnt cars, quarters of forest guards and forest employees, three bungalows, crocodile conservation awareness camp, crocodile conservation centre and six tourist boats and collected their burnt remains. These were torched by the angry residents of the sanctuary after the death of the woman. They also questioned some residents and forest employees present at the spot.
Police registered four cases against 240 persons over the violence which resulted in loss of properties estimated to be worth Rs 2.5 crore.
When contacted, the SDPO said that people should have shown restraint and not anger by burning their own properties. He admitted to have got some evidence but the truth will be known after completion of the probe and after getting the report from the forensic team. Purnukote IIC Bijay Kumar Haibru assisted the SDPO and the forensic team during their visit to the area for the probe.
PNN