Two injured in tiger attack near Sultan Batheri in Wayanad

TNN | Mar 7, 2013, 04.20 AM IST KOZHIKODE: Two persons were attacked and seriously mauled by a tiger at Moodakolli near Sultan Batheri in Wayanad on Wednesday afternoon, triggering public protests. The male tiger, estimated to be around 12 years old, was later brought down by tranquilizers and caged by the forest department staff. The injured, Karuthamkalayil Vasu (33) and Pulimoottil Binu (35) of Vakeri, were among a crowd which had encircled the tiger. Both of them have been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital with deep bite injuries. Medical college authorities said that Vasu sustained deep bite injuries in legs, hips and stomach while Binu was injured on his legs and a part of his ear was bitten off. The big cat was spotted at a plantation early in the morning by a farmer. The tiger soon fled to a nearby coffee plantain where it was surrounded by the crowd. The beast attached the two by 4pm after some members of the crowd tried to take its photographs using their mobile phones. The local residents complained that no action was initiated to capture the tiger till 4pm. But forest sources said that the huge crowd encircling the tiger in the operation zone made any action impossible. Forest veterinarian surgeon Dr Arun Zachariah reached the spot and fired the first tranquilizing shot around 6pm. He had to fire another round of tranquilizing shot soon after to bring down the animal. South Wayanad divisional forest officer P Dhanesh Kumar led the operations. Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse a crowd that blocked the vehicle carrying the caged animal and stoned the officials demanding compensation to the injured and steps to find a permanent solution to the tiger scare in the district. The vehicle was again blocked by agitated crowds at Pambra near Pulpalli. The animal was brought to the Wayanad wildlife warden office's at Bathery by 9pm. The animal will be taken to the Thrissur Zoo.