UTNOOR (ADILABAD): Fake videos and photographs of tigers and their killing of cattle, posted on social media, are causing more fear than the tigers themselves in Adilabad district. The fake videos have disrupted the movement of villages in areas where no tigers are present. Mesram Tirupati of Narnoor said viral videos of tigers of other states circulated on social media panicked people. Forest officials advise farmers not to venture into cotton fields for a few days till the tiger moving in the area leaves the place. With the forest department remaining silent on these videos, many people assume they are genuine. A tiger conservationist of Hyderabad, who did not want to be identified, said it was shocking to see a large number of tiger videos circulating on social media.
He said it was falsely claimed that these videos were that of the erstwhile Adilabad district but after check, it was found that those were that of Maharashtra and Bandhavghar tiger reserve of Madhya Pradesh.
A video in which a tiger was seen crossing the road went viral on social media and it was falsely claimed that it was at Laltekdi in Utnoor on November 17.
The same day, Adilabad DFO Prashanth Bajirao Patil visited a forest area on the outskirts of Jamada mandal in Narnoor mandal to verify the movement of a tiger. The question remained how the same tiger can be seen at two separate places at the same time.Forest officials show the pugmarks only, but not the pictures of the said tigers. Questions are asked as to why the tigers are not recorded on trap cameras when they feed on the cattle.
A section of people said those who support tiger conservation and relocation of villages from the core areas circulate those fake videos.
Forest staff said a six-year-old tiger named Johnny had entered Boath forests a few days ago through Kinwat from the Thippeshwar tiger teserve. It crossed Mahbub ghats and entered Pembi forests. The same tiger killed oxen, bullocks and cows during its journey to Narnoor mandal.
