The Forest Department has deployed a team to mount vigil near Manachanallur, a few kilometres from the city, following the spotting of a wild animal suspected to be a carnivore by locals on Wednesday.
A farmer of the area had claimed to have seen the carnivore suspected to be a leopard at Panguni vaikkal on Wednesday morning and alerted the villagers who in turn informed the forest department officials.
Acting on the information, forest department officials inspected the spot and its vicinity and found pug marks which were not clear. Based on the description given by the farmer and the existing pug marks, forest department officials believe that it could be a wild cat.
Nevertheless, the department as a precautionary measure has deployed a four-member team near Manachanallur on Thursday to mount vigil and instil confidence in the minds of the public. Meanwhile, the local body authorities removed the bushes in the Panguni Vaikkal using an earthmover. A field-level forest official said the villagers had been given the mobile numbers of the department officials to alert them in case they spotted the animal again in that area.
