Villagers unnerved; four goats killed last night at Gobbaragala, 4 kms from Mahadevapura

Srirangapatna: Residents of Mahadevapura, popularly known as ‘Shooting’ Mahadevapura, situated just 10 km from Mysuru and the neighbouring villages are gripped with panic following the sighting of a tiger, a video of which has gone viral on social media.

In addition to the apprehension caused by the presence of a roaming tiger, nocturnal leopard attacks have added to the local fears. Last evening, a leopard reportedly killed four goats near the house of Nagaraju in Gobbaragala village, just four kilometres from Mahadevapura. 

Villagers and Nagaraju told reporters this morning that the leopard has been seen multiple times in the village. Given the latest presence of the tiger in the vicinity, villagers express that they would not be astonished if the tiger was responsible for the goat attacks.

Nagaraju recounted that on the previous evening, he had secured the goats near his house at 7 pm and had gone inside for dinner so that he could tie them inside the shed later. During his meal, he heard his goats bleating anxiously. Upon rushing to the scene, he discovered that the leopard had attacked and killed four goats, each bitten on the neck region.

The video footage of the roaming tiger was captured around the Channahalli-Mahadevapura connecting road, near Chikkammana Temple on the outskirts of Mahadevapura, as well as in sugarcane fields and farms. A week ago, the same tiger had reportedly attacked a goat belonging to a villager named Puttamma in Channahalli village. 

Now, the tiger’s sightings have become a daily occurrence in the vicinity. Upon receiving this information, Deputy Range Forest Officer Rajesh visited the area along with Srirangapatna Range Forest Officer Puttaswamy, Assistant Forest Officer Anandegowda and personnel from the Mysuru Leopard Task Force (LTF). 

Drones to track big cat

The team verified the tiger’s movements and instructed villagers to refrain from venturing out of their houses during the night. They also cautioned them to take precautions while working in agricultural fields during the day. The Forest Department, facing challenges in placing a cage due to the tiger’s movements, is utilising drones to track the tiger.

The villagers reported that while the tiger’s presence did not cause harm, they could hear its roar while working in their agricultural fields. They urged the forest officials to expedite measures to capture the tiger for the villagers’ peace of mind, noting that the tiger was large and appeared to be solitary.

The Arakere Police are also engaging with villagers, urging them to stay indoors and creating awareness about the tiger’s presence. Additionally, a team of 30 to 35 Forest Department personnel is involved in efforts to capture the tiger. However, due to the tiger’s movement on the other side of a water body, placing traps (cages) has proven challenging. 

Same tiger near TVS factory?

Meanwhile, it is reported that the same tiger was sighted in Sindhuvalli, Shettihalli, Rampura, TVS factory near Kadakola, Balluruhundi, Duggahalli, Haadanooru Odeyanapura, Indiranagar and surrounding places on the Mysuru-Nanjangud border. While leopards and elephants have been spotted in the Mandya district recently, this marks the first instance of a tiger roaming near Mysuru city.

Mahadevapura is located about 23 kms from Mandya, 15 kms away from Srirangapatna and just 10 kms from Mysuru. The tiger, which created panic in villages located near Nanjangud is said to be creating fright among the villagers in Mahadevapura.