Rumours on electrocution of tiger, cooking of its meat creates flutter in Prakasam
Tirupati: Officials of the Markapur Wildlife Management (WLM) division in Prakasam district have initiated an investigation into rumours that some locals have cooked and consumed the meat of a tiger that died of contact with an illegal electric fence.
The incident that created a flutter on Monday reportedly happened in the Akkapalem forest area under Pullala Cheruvu mandal.
According to reports, forest personnel discovered the footprints of a tigress in the area on Feb 10. Forest workers, led by Yerragondapalem forest range officer Neelakanteswara Reddy, set up trap cameras to track the tigress's movements. They did come across two male tigers and one female tiger roaming the forest.
They also alerted the people of the region about the tiger's activity, urging them not to go or sleep outside their homes at night.
On Monday, however, rumours circulated that a tiger was killed in Akkapalem after it came into contact with an illegal electric fence erected by farmers around a farm to protect their crops. It was also rumoured that some of them who found the tiger's carcass cooked and ate its flesh.
The matter is said to have come to light after two individuals who allegedly ate tiger flesh gave a tip off to the forest officials about it after a dispute arose over the sale of tiger claws.
Markapur DFO Vignesh Appavu said that the rumour of tiger flesh cooked and consumed in Akkapalem forest area was false. "Two people approached forest officials and informed them that some people cooked and ate the meat of a tiger. When the officials took the duo to the location they described, we didn't find any evidence,” the DFO said.
