A dramatic incident unfolded in Badagalapura village, near H.D. Kote in Sargur taluk, as a tigress that recently attacked and seriously injured a farmer was successfully tranquilized and captured by the Forest Department on Saturday.
Prabhakaran, the director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, confirmed these developments, revealing that the three-year-old tigress was found with a twisted forelimb, making her incapacitated. This injury is believed to be the reason she resorted to preying on local livestock, an issue villagers had previously reported to the Forest Department. Following her capture, the tigress has been safely transported to Bannerghatta National Park for care.
The intricate capture operation involved the deployment of trained elephants – Bheema, Bhagiratha, Abhimanyu, and Mahendra – which played a crucial role in cornering the big cat on Saturday afternoon. A team of dedicated senior officials, including Assistant Conservator of Forest Satish and members of the elite Special Tiger Force, meticulously executed the tranquilization and trapping.
This successful capture followed a perilous event on Thursday when the same tigress attacked a farmer named Made Gowda, inflicting severe injuries upon him.
Speaking to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at a private hospital in Mysuru, doctors shared the somber news that Made Gowda is unlikely to regain his eyesight. In response, the Chief Minister announced that the government would provide compensation equivalent to that for loss of life or livelihood, and would fully cover all medical expenses for the farmer’s ongoing treatment.