Kerala Government Imposes Curfew in Mananthavady Following Fatal Tiger Attack on Woman

A curfew was enforced in parts of Mananthavady Municipality, Wayanad, Kerala, after a tiger fatally attacked a 47-year-old woman. The tiger has been labelled a man-eater and is set to be culled. Forest Minister A K Saseendran announced this decision following a high-level meeting at the district collectorate.

The curfew affects Division 1 Pancharakolli, Division 2 Pilakavu, and Division 36 Chirakkara from 6 am on January 27 for two days. Schools, Anganwadis, Madrasas, and tuition centres in these areas will remain closed. Students from these divisions attending schools elsewhere are excused from classes on January 27 and 28.

Response to the Tiger Threat

Residents attending PSC exams or other educational tests should contact their division councillor for necessary arrangements. This decision follows the tragic incident on Friday morning when Radha, from a Scheduled Caste community, was killed by the tiger while picking coffee at Priyadarshini Estate in Mananthavady village.

The tiger also attacked Beat Forest Officer Jayasurya, part of the Rapid Response Team patrolling the area. Minister Saseendran stated that this is the first instance in Kerala where a tiger has been declared a man-eater. The decision came after evaluating its repeated attacks and growing threat to human lives.

Government Actions and Public Reactions

Efforts are ongoing to capture the animal, with a meeting held with the Chief Secretary and other officials to address public concerns. The tiger was declared a man-eater after consulting legal experts and with the Chief Minister's support. Surveillance will be intensified, and undergrowth cleared in nearby areas.

To enhance wildlife management, 100 new cameras will be installed in Wayanad, and 400 AI cameras across Kerala by March 31 to prevent wildlife-related incidents. Minister Saseendran criticised the central government for its lack of support in addressing wildlife issues but assured that they would be informed of the situation.

Community Protests and Government Assurance

During his visit to Radha's house, Saseendran faced protests from locals who blocked his vehicle, demanding he retract his statement that Radha was killed inside the forest. Despite protests, he met Radha's family under police protection and offered her son a temporary job.

After visiting Jayasurya at the hospital, Saseendran addressed the media, urging public support for government efforts and promising to monitor progress personally. He announced another meeting on January 29 to discuss further actions.

The attack led to protests on Friday as locals initially prevented Radha's remains from being taken for postmortem until authorities assured them of safety measures. After Minister O R Kelu's assurance of action, they allowed the postmortem.

The forest department then ordered the capture or killing of the tiger. Prohibitory orders were enforced under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita BNSS to prevent gatherings in four divisions of Mananthavady municipality until the tiger is captured.