Tiger strays from Sunderbans, triggers panic in area

The discovery of a tiger's pugmark triggered panic in Kultali area of South 24 Parganas district on Saturday. The predator, however, is believed to have returned to the nearby habitat in Sunderbans.

The feline crossed two rivulets from Ajmalbari forest range under Sunderbans and hid under bushes at Maoipith where social forestry work was done, Ranger Soumendu Mondal said.

After discovering pugmarks this morning, villagers informed forest personnel, who with the help of locals placed a one-km net barricading the forest and burst firecrackers, Mondal said. Fifteen forest personnel and about 100 local volunteers formed a squad to chase it away.

The tiger could be spotted while escaping as it scraped through the net tearing it, swam across Seturia rivulet and seen headed towards its habitat Ajmalbari range, Mondal, who had supervised the operations, said.