Tamil Nadu: With a tiger on prowl, schools shut for two days

Udhagamandalam (TN): With a tiger on the prowl, killing three people, including two women, in the last five days in and around this tourist town, authorities have declared a two-day holiday for 45 schools in three village panchayats and also banned entry of tourists in Doddabetta. [caption id=“attachment_1331249” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] Moreover, three special teams, comprising police and forest department personnel and also a Special Task Force from Sathyamangalam, have been formed to catch the man-eater, which is moving around a 20-25 km area for the last one week, Nilgiris District Collector P Shankar told reporters on Thursday. Considering the safety of the school children, two days’ holiday has been declared in the region covering Doddabetta and Koolakarai panchayats and people are requested not to venture into the forests or its border ares, he said. Efforts are on to trap the tiger by placing six cages and it is also decided to bring in three kumkis (tamed elephants) from Theppakadu and Mettupalayam, so that the special team members can move sitting atop them, he said. While one kumki has already arrived, two more are expected any time from Mettupalayam, Shankar said, adding, if there was lack of coordination between the kumkis, more number of elephants would be brought in. A team special task force, comprising 14 members, headed by Jaisingh from Sathyamangalam has already arrived, with necessary guns and tranquiliser, he said. Some 1000 villagers wanted the administration to eliminate the tiger, since it could return if caught and released in the jungle, police said. The animal has killed two women and a man at Solada village, Doddabeta and Kundachappai areas in the district. PTI