MP: Forest dept intensifies search for tiger that killed villager in Mhow

Indore: Days after a tiger mauled an elderly man to death in Madhya Pradesh's Mhow, the forest department has intensified the search for the animal, which is roaming in the Army cantonment area of the town since the last one-and-a-half months.

Sundarlal Banarasi (60) was mauled to death by a tiger when he had gone to graze cattle in the forested area of Malendi village in Mhow on Sunday.

State Forest Minister Vijay Shah held a meeting with officials in Indore on Tuesday to review the ongoing operation to search and rescue the big cat.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, the minister condoled the death of the elderly man in the tiger attack.

"To prevent such incidents, four teams of the forest department have been deployed to look for the tiger 24/7 in a 25-km stretch of the area. Cameras and cages have also been installed in the forest," Shah said.

Once the tiger is traced, it will be tranquilised and shifted to a national park, he said.

According to officials, the forest department had found the half-eaten body of the victim in the forest and pug marks of a tiger were also found at the scene.

The tiger attack has triggered anger and panic among locals. Villagers and a section of the local media have described the tiger as a man-eater.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) J S Chauhan, however, said no wild animal can be declared a man-eater based on a single incident.

"The man must have come face to face with the tiger in the forest and he would not have had the chance to escape,” the official said.

Every effort is being made to save the big cat and if needed, experts from tiger reserves will also be roped in, he said.

The big cat was earlier seen roaming in the military cantonment area of Mhow town on May 7 and its movement was confirmed after CCTV footage surfaced.