In a dramatic wildlife encounter, a tiger’s unexpected foray into human habitats near Rajamahendravaram city has mobilized Andhra Pradesh’s forest department into high gear. Livestock losses over five days have fueled widespread alarm in East Godavari’s rural pockets.
Alerts blared following verified predation in Rajanagaram’s Bhupalapatnam, 20 km out. Joint operations unite forest rangers, police squads, and RAF units, focusing on containment and humane capture within the tiger’s observed range.
Collector Kriti Chakura ordered school holidays amid confirmed strikes in G. Errampalem—three calves down—and a cow in Punyakshetram. Her assessment: the tiger sticks to this zone, minimizing broader threats.
Safety protocols dominate: households urged to hunker down, vulnerable groups sidelined, solo ventures to agriculture lands prohibited. Spotters must alert authorities sans interference, preserving the animal’s life.
Twelve dedicated squads, backed by PCCF P.V. Chalapati Rao’s directives, deploy nets, sedatives, and enclosures. Interstate experts from Pune and Delhi bolster the mission, authorized for jungle relocation post-darting.
The tiger’s odyssey—600 km across Maharashtra, Telangana, Chhattisgarh—landed it here, circling 10-20 km for days. Nighttime glimpses by Diwan Cheruvu, highways, schools, and centers halted vehicles, underscoring proximity risks.
MLA B. Balaram Krishna endorsed the sanctioned strategy. With relentless pursuits, officials project capture soon, balancing wildlife conservation and public safety in this tense standoff.