Tribal woman mauled to death by tiger in Kerala's Wayanad, forest minister orders shooting of animal

A tiger attack in Pancharakoli, Wayanad, killed Radha, a tribal woman collecting coffee, sparking protests and prompting Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran to order the tiger's shooting.

Kalpetta: A tiger attack in Pancharakoli, Wayanad, has led to the death of a tribal woman, Radha, who was killed while collecting coffee in the morning. Radha, the wife of a temporary forest watcher, was attacked around 8:30 am. Her half-eaten body was discovered by the Thunderbolt team, which had arrived for a routine inspection. The incident has sparked strong protests from local residents.

In response to the attack, Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran has ordered the shooting of the tiger responsible. The Chief Wildlife Warden has issued the directive in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the Wildlife Protection Act. The SOP requires an attempt to tranquilize or trap the tiger first. However, if these measures are not feasible and the animal is confirmed to be a man-eater, the final option is to shoot it.

The Minister has also ordered increased vigilance in the area, particularly around Pancharakoli and the surrounding forest borders in Wayanad district. To prevent further incidents, the local authorities will deploy a rapid response team and intensify patrolling in areas that could be at risk, especially those near the Bandipur region of Karnataka, where tigers, elephants, and other wildlife may enter Wayanad.