Forest officials capture tiger suspected in BRT Reserve death

Forest Department officials captured a five-year-old tiger suspected of attacking and killing a 65-year-old man in Karnataka’s Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve on Saturday morning. The animal was captured at Tavarekatte Moole using a tranquiliser dart at about 6.15 a.m. The Deputy Conservator of Forests and Director of the BRT Tiger Reserve said in a statement that the tiger had been shifted to the Rehabilitation Centre at Koorgalli in Mysuru.

The move was ordered by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Bengaluru, for the animal’s further care and safety. Basavanna, a resident of Badagalapura village in Chamarajanagar taluk, was killed in a wildlife attack while working in a field at Sanegala village on September 14. The Forest Department began an operation to track and capture the animal the following day.

The operation was conducted under the guidance of Chief Conservator of Forests, Chamarajanagar Circle, Malathi Priya, and BRT Tiger Reserve Director Sripathi B.S., according to the statement. Cameras and cages were placed at and around the site of the incident and in nearby forest areas. The operation included two reserve dog squads, Bhoomi and Bhanu, along with two trained elephants, Kanjan and Eshwara.

Two thermal drones, a departmental veterinary officer, tribal trackers and 65 Forest Department officers and personnel were also involved. Officials said the tiger was captured after sustained efforts. The capture followed the department’s decision to pursue the animal suspected of being responsible for the death.

The source material does not state whether officials have completed a formal confirmation of the tiger’s involvement or what further action will be taken after its rehabilitation-centre assessment. Chamarajanagar district in-charge Minister C. Puttarangashetty had earlier handed the deceased man’s family a ₹5 lakh compensation cheque from the BRT Tiger Fund during a visit on September 15.