Tiger sighted again near human habitat; tracking operation on

Mysuru: Forest department officials on Sunday continued their vigil in the area surrounding of Moodalahundi after a tiger was sighted nearby.
As the tiger was spotted on the road near the Doddekallu reserve forest area in Moodalahundi and in the vicinity of Moraraji Desai Residential School on T Narasipur-Mysuru road in the early hours of Saturday, Mysuru territorial division forest personnel intensified combing operations to track the movement of the tiger.
This is second time that a big cat is spotted near human habitats in Mysuru taluk, just six months after two tigers were spotted in the same area and in Srirangapatna, Mandya. Another three tigers were spotted on the outskirts of Doddakanya-Chikkakanya villages in Mysuru taluk a couple of months back.
Although the tiger is currently in a territorial forest area, officers are concerned about the potential harm it could cause to humans.
The forest department has installed night vision cameras at eight strategic locations to track the movement of the tiger that was spotted in a village bordering Varakodu Reserve Forest in Mysuru taluk. Following the sighting of a tiger by local youths, a team of 15 forest personnel led by deputy conservator of forests (territorial) CN Basavaraju conducted a spot inspection along with members of the Leopard Task Force.
Villagers living in the vicinity of Doddekallu reserve forest like Varakodu, Mudalahundi are living in constant fear after the sightings of the tiger. They are scared to go to the agriculture field. Even students of Morarji Desai Residential School at Varakodu are in fear. A special squad has been deployed at the school for round-the-clock monitoring to instil courage among the inmates.
The forest department has installed a night vision camera along with camera traps and is using thermal drone monitoring to track the movement of the tiger.
Basavaraju told TOI that the personnel have intensified their operation to track the tiger. The camera traps have not recorded any movement of wild animals on Saturday night and Sunday early morning. The department has deployed additional staff in the vicinity and for night patrolling in villages bordering the reserve forest to instil courage among the local people
Foresters have restricted movement of people to Moodalahundi, Udbhava Mahadeshwara swamy temple road and other entries to the reserve forest.
They also took up a drive to educate villagers to minimise their movement before daybreak and after dusk. They also asked them to not take up agriculture activities during night. The villagers have been told not to heed to social media posts or rumours which could stoke further panic.