A tiger that killed a tribal woman in Mananthavady in the Wayanad district of Kerala has been identified as a man-eating tiger, said Minister for Forests and Wildlife Protection AK Saseendran on Saturday, January 25. The inclusion in the list allows the Forest Department to shoot and kill the tiger. However, Department officials said that capturing the big cat would be their primary objective. Radha was mauled to death by a tiger on the morning of Friday, January 24.
The government has deployed a special team in Pancharakolli to identify and tranquilise the tiger. A curfew has been imposed till January 27 in Pancharakolly, Pilakavu, Jessy, and Chirakkara villages.
Radha’s tragic death led to strong protests by the villagers, who claimed they had already told the Forest Department that they suspected a tiger had entered the area around the village, but no action had been taken. They also expressed their concern regarding safety since the tiger was still present in the area. Reacting to the allegation raised by the villagers, the Minister said the Department would check whether there were any lapses on the part of the forest officials.
Radha, the 47-year-old wife of a temporary forest watchman and aunt of Indian cricketer Minnu Mani, was attacked by a tiger when she went to Priyadarshini Estate in Pancharakolly village to collect coffee beans. According to reports, Radha’s body was found just 100 metres from nearby human habitation and it was discovered by the Thunderbolt team of Kerala police during their regular patrolling.
The government has announced a compensation of Rs 11 lakh to Radha’s family.
Congress leaders accused the Left government of failing to address the increasing human-animal conflict in the state. The Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) observed a bandh on Mananthavady on January 25.
Congress leader and Member of Parliament (MP) from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi expressed her condolences to Radha’s family and urged for sustainable solutions to address this pressing issue.