The authorities have issued permission to shoot the man-eating tiger of H.D.Kote consequent to 3 deaths due to tiger attack in the villages adjoining the fringes of Bandipur National Park.
The latest attack was on Tuesday evening when Basappa (70) was killed by a tiger close to Chikkabargi forests and his dismembered body was found nearly 1 km from the spot where he was attacked.
Superintendent of Police Abhinav Khare, who was at the spot, said the tiger was spotted again on Wednesday and the police fired 29 rounds in that direction but it is not clear whether the bullets found the mark in view of the thick vegetation in the vicinity.
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Combing operation to ascertain whether the tiger has been killed, could not be carried out because of frayed tempers of the mob, which went berserk near the body of the killed farmer and gheraoed the H.D.Kote Tahshildar Krishna, who was roughed up and inflicted a couple of blows.
A mob of more than 1000 people from Chikkabargi, Doddabargi and surrounding villages had laid siege to the forest department guest house on Tuesday night and ransacked it.
The forest department vehicles including a motor cycle, a truck and jeep was set ablaze, while the furniture was reduced to cinders in the bonfire. Smoke was still emanating from the place on Wednesday when this correspondent visited the place which is about 85 km from Mysore.
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In an unusual scene, hundreds of people had made their way into the core area of Bandipur Tiger Reserve unmindful of the dangers and staged a dharna near the body of Basappa demanding that the Forest Minister and local elected representatives, forest department officials visit the place. They wanted a permanent solution to the man-animal conflict apart from compensation to the family members of the deceased.
In the meantime, Mahesha and Vishalakka – two of the four children of Basappa – were totally distraught and fainted on seeing their father’s body in the forests. Post mortem of Basappa will be conducted later in the day and the officials said compensation of Rs.5 lakh would be given to them. However, the mob said they will not allow the post-mortem to be completed till senior forest department officials reached the spot.
The combing operation to tranquilize or shoot the elusive tiger is expected to commence once the mob disperses from the scene.