Adilabad: Forest officials in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur are working to capture the tiger Johnny, who has killed many people near the Maharashtra-Telangana border.
An old woman and a middle-aged man were recently killed by a tiger in Rajura, Chandrapur. In November, it attacked and killed 21-year-old Morle Lakshmi at Gannaram in Kagaznagar mandal of Telangana and injured Routhu Suresh, 35, of Dubbaguda in Sirpur (T) mandal. Its activities have spread panic in the border villages of both provinces.
Johnny, believed to be six years old, has been moving widely in Chandrapur district, home of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, and frequents Telangana in search of shelter and mates. October to March, the mating season for tigers, often prompts such long-distance movements.
Attempts are being made to pacify and capture Johnny under the supervision of veterinary expert Dr Cobra Ghade. However, capturing tigers requires a lengthy process, including obtaining permission from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
The tiger is said to have roamed in Telangana’s Nirmal district for 20 days before moving to Utnoor region and later returned to Maharashtra. Itikalpahad, Hudkili and Chelapelli of Kagaznagar Forest Division continue to be frequented.
Sources indicate that Johnny mated with one female tigress, S-11, at Itikalpahad but the other, K-8, got stuck due to disturbance in the forest, returning to Maharashtra.
The Maharashtra Forest Department is closely monitoring Johnny’s activities and is issuing alerts to villagers in view of the aggressive behavior of the tiger. Officials are cautious as the continued presence of tigers poses a risk to human life and livestock. Residents are urged to remain vigilant while authorities expedite the seizure process to ensure safety.