No trace of tigress, cubs as operation concludes

An operation to drive a tiger and its two cubs back into the jungles at Malali village in H.D. Kote concluded on Friday with no trace of the animals.

The three animals had found a sanctuary in a banana plantation.

On Thursday, efforts to drive them back into the forests at the Antharsanthe range of the park had led to a commotion and the death of a farmer, Murthy.

Conservator of Forests S. Manikandan said two elephants, Abhimanyu and Krishna, were deployed for combing the area to ensure that the tigers were not present at the plantation.

Officials suspect that the animals might have headed back into the Nagarahole National Park.

Other sources confirmed that the combing was called off as there were no trace of the tigers but the authorities identified a few pug marks and concluded that the tigress and her cubs may have retreated into the forests.

Meanwhile, S. Chikkamadu, MLA, handed over a cheque of Rs. 5 lakh to the surviving family members of Murthy.

Officials said the family and the community had sought a job for Murthy’s wife on compassionate grounds and it would be looked into by the authorities.