Lucknow, Mar 6 (PTI) A four-year-old male tiger which terrorised villages on the outskirts of Lucknow for nearly three months, forcing the closure of schools and creating an almost curfew-like situation after dusk, was finally captured by forest authorities in a 12-hour-long operation.
The big cat, which had evaded capture for 91 days, was finally tranquilised on Wednesday evening around 5:30 pm.
It had kept villagers and officials on edge for months, killing 24 animals, including seven bait animals placed at various locations by authorities.
"The tiger is a 200-kg, 4-year-old male, stretching about 10 feet in length," said Sunil Chaudhary, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in Uttar Pradesh.
First reported by villagers on the outskirts of Lucknow on December 4, 2024, the continuous hunting rampage of the tiger created fear amongst the people of Rehmankheda and surrounding villages
It further led to a near-curfew atmosphere in many areas after dusk.
Farmers and cattle rearers were particularly affected, as the tiger posed a direct threat to their livelihoods.
For the past two months, around 30 schools were forced to close due to safety concerns and PAC personnel were deployed in the affected villages, alongside the forest department and local police, to ensure the safety of residents.
In addition to providing protection from the tiger, the forest department entrusted 11 Pradhans with raising awareness and educating the community about safety measures.
The capture effort began early in the morning when the tiger was spotted by a drone camera. Forest staff, along with three veterinarians, tracked the animal before reaching a safe position to dart it.
The operation involved an extensive team of forest officials, and a variety of high-tech equipment was used, including camera traps, a dozen CCTV cameras, and two drones equipped with night vision and thermal sensors, forest officials said.
The tiger is expected to be released in the northern part of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR), said Chaudhary.