Hyderabad: The wandering tiger stalking villages in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district shows no signs of moving on, striking again on Tuesday morning and deepening fear among rural communities.The big cat killed another calf in Basanthapuram village of Rajapet mandal, taking the total number of cattle killed to five since Jan 17. Despite repeated assurances from forest officials that the tiger would eventually return to its original habitat, it continues to roam the same mandals, entering new villages and preying on livestock. Forest officials said the latest kill involved a calf belonging to Katkuri Ramesh. Fresh pugmarks were traced from the outskirts of Nemila through Pittalagudem fringes up to the Lakshmakapalli forest area, pointing to the tiger’s movement across multiple habitations. With its presence now extending beyond Turkapally mandal into Rajapet mandal, anxiety has spread among villagers. The latest attack follows a trail of kills that began on Jan 17, when the tiger is believed to have crossed into Telangana from Maharashtra. Since then, calves have been killed in Ibrahimpuram, Ralla Jangaon, Dattaipally, Gandamalla and now Basanthapuram. The tiger was sighted near the outskirts of Gandamalla village on Saturday evening by deputy range officer Javed Hussain, a day before it killed a calf there. That incident came to light when farmer C Narasimhulu found a calf missing from his cattle shed early in the morning. He followed pugmarks for nearly a kilometre into the forest and spotted the tiger feeding on the carcass.Forest teams later confirmed the animal’s presence, installed camera traps and placed cages in the area. Thermal camera drones and animal trackers have since been deployed to track its movement and prevent human-wildlife conflict.Villagers unconvincedVillagers, however, remain unconvinced by official assurances. “Forest officials keep saying the tiger will go back, but it is roaming the same mandals and visiting different villages,” a local resident said. Shepherds have been advised not to enter forest areas, while residents have been cautioned against moving alone or after dusk. Explaining the tiger’s unusual movement, Hussain told TOI that the animal had likely travelled from the Tadoba landscape in Maharashtra in search of a mate. “From Sept to Jan, it is the mating period for tigers. This tiger came searching for a female, moving through areas like Kamareddy, Siddipet, and Narsapur but did not find one,” he said. He added that the cool weather may be prolonging the search. “Once the weather changes, its hormonal activity will subside and it is expected to return,” he explained. For now, the tiger remains in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district. With five cattle kills in just over two weeks and its range expanding into new mandals, fear continues to grip villages as forest officials intensify surveillance and containment efforts.
