Tiger electrocuted to death by illegal electric fence in Gundlupet village

CHAMARAJANAGAR: A female tiger has died after electrocution at Padagur village in Gundlupet taluk, sparking anger among villagers. The tiger, aged about 2 years old, got entangled in an illegal electric fence set up by a farmer, Ravichandra, to protect his crops. Ravichandra hails from Kerala and has been settled in the village for several years.

Villagers allege the Forest department failed to capture the tiger despite repeated complaints about its presence. “They only care about the tiger’s life, not ours. We informed them about the tiger, but they didn’t take it seriously,” said a villager.

Conservator of Forests Prabhakaran said, “About 10 days ago, we received information about a cattle kill in the region ans since then we had been tracking the tiger’s movement with drones. On Monday, night we received information about pug marks and around midnight on Tuesday we found the tiger motionless in a coconut farmer. The tiger died due to electrocution from the illegal fence. Action will be taken against as per law against the farmer”.

The incident has raised concerns about the safety of both humans and wildlife. The forest department has faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with villagers demanding action against those responsible. This is the latest in a series of tiger deaths in the area, including poisoning cases and electrocution. The villagers are urging the authorities to take immediate action to capture the remaining tigers and prevent further incidents.