HT Correspondent
NAGAON, Nov 20: For over the past six years, a massive man-eating Royal Bengal Tiger has been wreaking havoc in a vast area of Kaliabor. Over the past three days, the tiger has been spotted at Borbhakati, Debsatra, Katiyari, Dhekial, and Miribheti areas near Jakhalabandha under Kaliabor sub-district, killing several livestock.
The sudden appearance of the tiger has created panic among locals, who are currently hesitant to venture out. The Forest Department and police have been informed, and officials are monitoring the situation.
It is pertinent to mention here that several areas in Kaliabor, including Shilghat, Kaliabor Tea Estate, Sonarishakha Tea Estate, Sonarigaon, Kamakhya village, and Hatimura, have been terrorised by multiple tigers for nearly six years, resulting in over half a dozen livestock deaths.
Recently, an Anganwadi worker and several students narrowly escaped a tiger encounter in Hatimura. The Forest Department had set up a cage to capture the tiger but remained unsuccessful.
Due to the tiger’s presence, life has been disrupted in the affected areas. People are spending sleepless nights, and normal life has been severely paralyzed. Significantly, the tiger was spotted today near Jakhalabandha, forcing the closure of Ayus Public School, Ramananda Balika Vidyalaya, and Kolongmukh Vidyapith. Meanwhile, the local administration has restricted the movement of locals on six roads in the area from 4:00 pm to 9:00 am.
The Forest Department has assured that all necessary measures are being taken to drive the tiger away, sources added.