Rajamahendravaram, Feb 5: A state of high alert continues across the Rajanagaram and Rajamahendravaram Rural mandals of Andhra Pradesh as an elusive male tiger, suspected to have migrated from the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, intensified its predatory activity over the last 48 hours. The big cat, which has been roaming the East Godavari district after crossing the Godavari River, was reported to have killed several cattle on Tuesday and Wednesday, sparking widespread panic among local agricultural communities.
On Tuesday night, the predator was sighted near the densely populated Auto Nagar area, situated between Lalacheruvu and Diwancheruvu. Eyewitnesses and local motorists captured mobile footage of the tiger scaling a high wall of a private function hall, a video that has since gone viral on social media. By the early hours of Wednesday, the tiger moved into Raghunadhapuram, where it killed a buffalo before retreating into the nearby cashew plantations and hillocks of the Ankalammathalli temple. This followed an earlier strike in Thorredu village over the weekend, where it had already claimed the lives of two cows and a calf.
In response to the escalating situation, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh reviewed the status with forest and police officials following a State Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. He assured the public that capturing the animal is a top priority and urged residents, especially farmers, to avoid visiting fields alone. To ensure student safety, a precautionary holiday was declared for schools in Rajanagaram, Seethanagaram, and Korukonda mandals.
The Forest Department has launched a massive “Operation Jack Hunt,” deploying 12 specialized teams to track the animal. Advanced technology, including thermal drones, 4G infrared trap cameras, and high-definition surveillance, is being used to monitor the tiger’s movement through the coconut and maize groves lining the Visakhapatnam–Vijayawada National Highway. Experts from Pune and veterinary surgeons from the Visakhapatnam Zoo are currently on-site with tranquilizers and cages, waiting for a safe opportunity to capture the tiger and relocate it to the Papikonda National Park.
