Kolkata: With a tiger prowling in the neighbourhood, Kultali residents continued to live in fear on Friday. On Wednesday night, a motorcyclist was attacked by the tiger and on Thursday night, a Class IX student was attacked while speaking on his mobile phone outside his house.
Forest department personnel are currently the only reassurance for the frightened villagers, but they wonder what will happen once the teams leave. Locals claim that there isn't just one tiger in the area, but at least two. Some villagers even reported spotting a tiger by the riverbank this morning.
The majority of villagers are sceptical about relying on the 47-km-long fencing that separates the village from the forest, as much of it is incomplete or damaged. Tigers have been crossing the fencing, entering villages, and even damaging farmlands, particularly paddy fields.
Since Thursday night, a massive operation led by the South 24 Parganas DFO, alongside the CF Conservator, multiple ADFOs, rangers, beat officers and the Quick Response Team is underway to track the tiger. While villagers lit torches and stayed awake through Thursday night to keep watch, forest officials began scanning the area on Friday morning under the DFO's leadership.
"We have been here since Thursday night with the CF Conservator. We found several pugmarks during our scanning of the jungle near the riverbank. The cooperation of local villagers has been a positive factor for us. We are thoroughly checking the entire fenced area and planning where teams will work during the night," DFO Nisha Goswami said. The forest on the other side of the river is still part of the tiger's natural territory, so it's not surprising that the tiger has come into this area, she added.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.