‘Sundari’ fear: Two cages installed to trap Royal Bengal tigress in Satkosia

Angul: Amidst fear for ‘Sundari’ following attack on a woman and cattle in human habitats adjacent to Satkosia forest, the authorities installed two cages to capture the Royal Bengal tigress.

The process is underway by the forest department to trap the wild tigress in the wake of panic gripped areas closed to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve among locals.

Meanwhile, the tigress was sighted near Athmallik town area where the residents are frightened for the man eater Sundari, which was relocated from Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh to increase big cat population in Satkosia.

Recently, the State government has transferred the Divisional Forest Officer of Satkosia Wildlife Division for informing media about the tigress that fuelled speculation regarding relocation of the animal from the Satkosia Tiger Reserve.

The tigress had allegedly mauled a 35-year-old woman to death on September 12 when she was taking bath in a pond near the forest. The incident led to violence as the villagers demanded the relocation of the wild cat. Angry over the death, the locals had set afire the forest beat house at Hatibari and the forest department’s range office at Tikarpada. They also torched five boats of the forest department.

Later, the post-mortem report of the deceased woman revealed that the death was due to asphyxia and wounds caused by wild animal bite.

Notably, the locals had been protesting since Sundari was brought to Satkosia on June 28 and released into the wild on August 17.