Man-eating Tiger Found Dead In Wayanad Days After Fatal Attack
A tiger that fatally attacked a woman in Kerala's Wayanad district was discovered dead early Monday morning in Pilakavu, outside the forest boundaries. The tiger's death comes shortly after it claimed the life of 47-year-old Radha, who was collecting coffee beans in a forest-adjacent estate in Mananthavady.
The incident had triggered local unrest, leading the Kerala government to classify the tiger as a man-eater and authorize its elimination. Forest officials had launched an extensive search operation to locate and capture the animal.
According to Chief Veterinary Surgeon Dr. Arun Zachariah's preliminary examination, the deceased tiger—a seven-year-old female—showed severe neck injuries likely sustained within the forest. The definitive cause of death awaits post-mortem confirmation.
Chief Conservator of Forests KS Deepa verified that the tiger's stripe pattern matched that of Radha's attacker. Forest officials had attempted to tranquilize the tiger earlier on Monday without success, before discovering it dead around 2:30 AM in the Pilakavu Estate.
In response to the attack, authorities had implemented a curfew in parts of Mananthavady Municipality. Forest Minister AK Saseendran's declaration of the tiger as a man-eater during a district-level meeting had intensified the search efforts.
The forest department maintains that surveillance measures will continue in the area to ensure resident safety and prevent future incidents.