Curfew in Kerala's Mananthavady After Tiger Attack Claims Woman's Life

Authorities in Kerala's Wayanad district imposed a curfew in some parts of Mananthavady Municipality on Sunday, following a tragic incident where a 47-year-old woman was killed by a tiger. The tiger has been declared a man-eater and is set to be captured or killed.

The Forest Minister, A K Saseendran, made the announcement earlier in the day after a meeting with officials at the district collectorate. He confirmed that the tiger was responsible for multiple attacks on humans, making it a threat to public safety.

The curfew is in effect from 6 am on January 27 for 48 hours in certain areas: Division 1 (Pancharakolli), Division 2 (Pilakavu), and Division 36 (Chirakkara). All schools, Anganwadis, Madrasas, and tuition centers in these divisions will remain closed during this period. Students living in the affected areas, who attend schools elsewhere, will be excused from attending classes on January 27 and 28. Those who need to appear for PSC exams or other tests should contact their division councilor to make the necessary arrangements.

This action comes after the tragic death of Radha, a woman from a Scheduled Caste community, who was attacked by the tiger while picking coffee at the Priyadarshini Estate in Mananthavady on Friday morning.

The decision to declare the tiger a man-eater was made after the authorities assessed its repeated attacks and the increasing threat to human lives. The same tiger that killed Radha also attacked a Beat Forest Officer named Jayasurya, who was part of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) deployed for patrolling duty in the area on Sunday.

This is the first time in Kerala that a tiger has been officially declared a man-eater. The decision followed a meeting called by the Chief Minister to discuss the growing issue of tiger attacks. Authorities are working to capture the animal, and a meeting with the Chief Secretary and other officials was held to address public concerns.

The tiger was declared a man-eater after consulting with the Advocate General and other legal experts, with the Chief Minister supporting the decision. To prevent further attacks, efforts are being made to clear the undergrowth in the area, and surveillance will be stepped up. Additionally, 100 new cameras will be installed in Wayanad, and 400 AI cameras will be set up across the state by March 31 to strengthen monitoring and prevent wildlife-related accidents.

The Forest Minister also criticized the central government for not offering enough support in dealing with wildlife issues, saying it felt nearly impossible to reach them by phone. Despite this, he assured the public that the Centre would be informed about the current situation.

During his visit to Radha's home, the minister faced protests from local residents who blocked his vehicle, demanding that he take back his statement that Radha was killed inside the forest. The locals were angry and upset over the situation. Despite the protests, the minister, who was accompanied by police, met with Radha's family and promised her son a temporary job.

Speaking to the media after the visit, the minister assured that all necessary actions would be taken to address the situation. He urged people to cooperate with the government’s efforts and promised to personally oversee the progress of these actions. He also announced that another meeting would be held on January 29 to discuss the issue further.

Later, the minister visited Jayasurya, the forest officer who was injured in the tiger attack, at the hospital.

The tiger attack led to protests from the locals on Friday, with them initially blocking the victim’s body from being taken for a postmortem until authorities promised to take action to ensure public safety. After Minister O R Kelu assured the community that steps would be taken, they allowed the body to be taken for the postmortem.

Following this, the Forest Department issued orders to capture or kill the tiger and enforced prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to prevent public gatherings in the four affected divisions of Mananthavady Municipality until the tiger is captured.

This situation highlights the growing concerns over human-wildlife conflict in Kerala, and the authorities are working hard to protect both the public and wildlife in the region.

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