Kolkata, 6 January (H.S.): A Royal Bengal Tiger strayed into Kultali's Srikanth Palli and Kishorimohanpur villages, sparking panic among locals. The villages, located near the Sundarbans, witnessed the tiger's intrusion on Monday when locals discovered its paw prints and heard its roars.

According to South 24 Parganas Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Nisha Goswami, We received reports of a tiger entering the village on Monday. Forest officials, with the help of locals, have cordoned off the area using nets till evening. She added that forest personnel, including the Range Officer of Raidighi, are closely monitoring the situation.

The deputy head of Baikunthapur Gram Panchayat, Shankar Das, stated, The nearby island jungle often sees tigers wandering out. On Monday, a fisherman spotted paw prints along the riverbank. He further revealed that a carcass of livestock dumped near the river might have lured the tiger into the village. Following this, locals and forest officials reported hearing the tiger's roar.

Efforts are underway to trap the tiger, with cages being set up. Wildlife Trust of India's Sundarbans Field Officer, Samrat Pal, suggested, The tiger likely crossed the Orion Creek from the Ajmalmari forest to enter Kishorimohanpur. He noted that a resident of Baikunthapur had recently survived a tiger attack, heightening local fears.

The forest department continues its operations to safely return the tiger to its habitat while ensuring the safety of the villagers.

Hindusthan Samachar / SP Singh