After man, Sundari kills bullock; fear continues in Satkosia

Angul: Panic continued to grip villagers near the Satkosia Wildlife Sanctuary in Angul district after the tigress Sundari allegedly killed a bullock at Tainsi village near Baghamunda in the district yesterday.

After the report surfaced, a four-member special team has left for Satkosia to tranquilize the Royal Bengal tigress. The team includes veterinarians from Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) and Dehradun. However, the team is yet to reach the spot due to protest by the locals, sources said.

“For now, the priority is to tranquilize and shift the animal to an enclosure for the safety of human beings. Further course of action would be taken after due consultation with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun,” said PCCF Sandeep Tripathy.

Earlier yesterday, the tigress had mauled an elderly man to death at the same village when the latter had gone for fishing. Angry over the incident, locals thousands of villagers thrashed Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Srikant Behera, who had gone to the village to verify the incident.

Demanding shifting of the tigress from Satkosia, the villagers also ransacked a police van and set another vehicle on fire near Mundasahi Chhak on NH-55.

A scuffle later ensued between police personnel and the angry locals after the cops resorted to Lathicharge to disperse the mob. Meanwhile, a compensation of Rs 4 lakh has been sanctioned for the next of kin of the deceased.