Tiger Suspected in Two Deaths Captured After 28-Day Search in Nilgiris

A tiger suspected to have killed two people was captured by the forest department early Friday at Silver Cloud Estate near Gudalur in the Nilgiris district after a 28-day search operation, sources said. 

The big cat was safely trapped in one of the 13 cages deployed across the region after the principal chief conservator of forests ordered its capture either by trapping or tranquilisation.

There were widespread public protests demanding action after a tiger killed two people in the O'Valley Lauriston area in August. The tracking operation



involved more than 200 forest personnel, four kumki (trained) elephants, three surveillance drones and over 200 automated camera traps deployed at strategic locations to monitor the area around the clock. 

The captured tiger, which displayed aggressive behaviour inside the cage, was immediately transported to the veterinary clinic near the Theppakadu Elephant Camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve for examination and care. Officials are conducting tests to ascertain whether the captured animal is the tiger responsible for the two fatalities in August.