LUCKNOW: Will the aberrant tiger claim another human life on Saturday evening? Though the question was warded off by forest officials, there was no denying that fear loomed large over the Shahjahanpur villagers and officers. The tiger had last killed and eaten a human on late Thursday evening. It had eaten about 9-10 kg human flesh. "We have not come across any other kill in the area after that and the bait which had been tied in Bilandapur for past three days was also not killed," said a local forest staff.

Forest department, however, is not ready to take any chances. After issuing an order in a "guarded language" to tranquillise and capture the tiger, UP chief wildlife warden BK Patnaik visited Bilandapur forest beat on Saturday. Elephants searched the forest area on Saturday but did not indicate tiger's presence. The officials shared that tiger could have shifted its location on Friday night. Bilandapur could not be its current hideout. Sihuwa forest beat in Khutar range of Shahjahanpur forest division could be the tiger's current location. Bilandapur and Sihuwa are separated by a distance of about 6-7 kms.

The tiger was last seen by villagers near Panauti village at around 10pm on Friday. Some villagers, on a tractor, had reportedly chased it away. Forest staff had confirmed the presence of the pugmarks at the spot. On Saturday morning, at around 5:30, the tiger was spotted by villagers outside Sihuwa forest beat near Saraiyan village. When chased away by villagers it retreated to the forest. "Since then no movement of tiger has been noticed," said a forest staff. The senior forest officials visited the place to identify the pugmarks. Rains and flooding in the forest area has the made identification of pugmarks somewhat difficult for forest staff. Experts, however, say it's probably a young tiger and perhaps the same which had struck in Pilibhit. As part of preparations, a bait has been tied in Sihuwa forest too.

The locals in the area could already be ganging up against the department. There have been eight human kills -- six in Deoria range of Pilibhit and two in Khutar range of Shahjahanpur between May 3 and August 26. "Biggest concern is that now the feline is getting closer to human settlements and is also turning aggressive in behaviour," said VP Singh, wildlife conservationist working in terai area. On Saturday, it was reported that when forest search team tried to move elephants from Bilandapur to Sihuwa, it had to face opposition from villagers who thought the team was leaving midway without finishing the task. Forest officials held a meeting late on Saturday evening to plan their next strategy.

The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/...s#ixzz0xxoRpEfT