Movement of Tigers Hits Poll Campaign Along River Penganga

Adilabad: The movement of tigers has adversely impacted poll campaigning in Adilabad district with cadre and second rung leaders of political parties expressing their inability to visit villages, especially the interiors. The reluctance comes after forest staff's alerts in Bhimpur and Jainad mandals in the district.

Forest staff are advising the villagers, campaigners, farmers and agriculture labourers against staying outdoors from around 5 pm or after sunset. Officials confirmed that two male sub-adult tigers (brothers) are moving in the outskirts of the villages along river Penganga. Given this precarious situation, there is no election activity late evenings in the region.

Bheempur falls in Boath Assembly constituency while Jainad mandal is in Adilabad constituency.

Forest staff spread awareness in Korata village, Jainad mandal, on Sunday.    

Adilabad FRO Gulab Singh told Deccan Chronicle that campaigning has been on a subdued note particularly in the evening as tigers tend to start moving around after sunset.

Forest officials, who found the movement of two sub-adults along the river, believe that they might have crossed the river and entered Adilabad district. People in Pipalkoti and Gunjala and other villages are panic-stricken on coming to know of the news.

Reportedly, the tigers killed three cattle and injured 10 more in the last 10 days.

Singh said that they have set up a base camp at the work site of the reservoir of Chanaka-Korata barrage and added that the tiger movement was found between Tamsi (K) and Hattighat villages in Bheempur mandal.

He said a tigress along with three tiger cubs crossed into Adilabad last year and returned to their original habitat at Tipeshwar Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra.

P. Bhumanna of Gollaghat Tamsi of Bheempur mandal said villagers are worried while those campaigning along river Penganga are heading home before 5 pm.