People in Belagavi city and in the rural areas of Khanapur taluk heaved a sigh of relief after the ‘killer tiger’ was shot dead in the forest area near Kongala village in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi district on Sunday evening.
Armed personnel spotted the tiger resting near a stream and shot it dead after confirming that it was wearing a radio collar. The carcass was cremated after post-mortem at Nagaragali on Monday.
It was one of the most challenging operations in recent times. It went on for three days. Nearly 275 armed personnel, including sharpshooters from the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF), staff of the Tiger Protection Force (TPF), and a team of Soliga tribesmen from Chamarajanagar, searched the thick forests to nab the tiger.
People living in the area were in panic after the tiger appeared on the Visvesaraya Technological University (VTU) campus in Belagavi on December 23. Two days later, it killed a woman in Jamboti village, prompting officials to issue shoot-at-sight order. The tiger gave sleepless nights to the officials and village people as it was spotted in different locations, but was never tracked. Then, on Sunday, the search was intensified in Kongala area after village residents heard the roar of a tiger. Finally, it was shot dead in the evening.
DisputeA controversy erupted as Tanaji Patil, a local person, claimed to have killed the tiger. Disputing the forest officials claims of sharpshooters killing the tiger, Mr. Patil said he had spotted the tiger and fired at it with his licensed gun. The armed men fired the second bullet after the tiger fell down, he said.
Official sources denied his claims, but confirmed that two bullets were found in the carcass. Deputy Conservator of Forests Ambadi Madhav was not available for comment.
