Mysuru, Dec 30: Accidental firing during “Operation Tiger,” a Forest department mission to drive a straying tigress and her two cubs back into the forest, claimed a life and left two persons injured at Antharasanthe in Nagarahole National Park limits on Thursday.
According to sources, the tigress, which had attacked three cattle head, was spotted with her cubs at a farm belonging to Prakash of Malali village on Wednesday night.
The Forest personnel began a combing operation on Thursday morning but the tigress had disappeared, leaving behind her cubs in the farm.
When crackers were burst to drive the wild cats into the forest, the cubs left the farm in fear and hid in a bush nearby. They allegedly sprang on the forest guards when the latter accidentally fired a double barrel gun. The bullets hit Murthy, Mahesh and Kenchaiah. The injured were rushed to the taluk hospital. However, Murthy succumbed to injuries.
Residents of Malali, Magge and N Bellur villages staged a flash protest against the Forest department. They demanded that Kumaraswamy, an elephant brought from Balle elephant camp for use in “Operation Tiger,” be sent back. They also laid siege to RFO Vinay's office.
The tigress is said to have devoured a cattle belonging to Shivakumar of Malali village on December 23. The next day the mother and cubs were spotted at a farm in the village. The Forest department, which began “Operation Tiger” three days ago, suspended the operation after the tigress disappeared.
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