Ooty: The tiger, which had been creating panic in Devarsolai village for the past ten days, was shot dead today.

On March 11, the police and the members of the forest department recovered the body of a migrant worker from Jharkand. He was mauled to death by a tiger. Three teams, consisting of members of the Forest Department and the police force, were formed to trap the tiger.

Surveillance cameras recorded the pictures of the lurking tiger, which had deep injury on its leg and abdomen. Six cages with live prey were set to catch the injured animal. Nearly 150 officials were monitoring the tiger’s movements.

Although the instructions were to catch the animal alive, the members of the Special Task Force began firing when they noticed the tiger, killing the animal.

When the STF members, especially the ones on the tree top, opened fire, two police personnel sustained bullet injuries.

Santosh, of the Special Task Force, was hit by a bullet in his abdomen and was rushed to a hospital in
Perinthalmanna, Kerala. He is reportedly in a serious condition. Ravi, of the Armed Reserve, was hit in the waist and was taken to Coimbatore after first aid treatment in Gudalur Government Hospital.

In all, nearly 140 rounds were fired. More than six bullet injuries were found on the seven-year-old tiger that was shot down.