Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)

Madikeri, Mar 9: The tiger that has continued to attack humans and cattle with impunity, claimed its third victim on Monday March 8 after a boy was killed by the tiger.

Labourers were working inside a plantation at Bellur village of Ponnampet taluk in Kodagu district on Monday when the tiger attacked them. A boy named Rangaswamy (8) died on the spot while his grandfather Kencha (52), suffered serious injuries. He was provided first aid and admitted into a hospital at Myusuru.

This was the third human victim of the tiger in 16 days. 12 cows have also been consumed by the tiger so far. The villagers and organizations have expressed anger at the inability of the forest department to capture or kill the tiger. They have been blocking the forest department vehicles to register their protest.

Yeravara Ayyapa (16), a student, was killed by the tiger on February 21 at T Shettigeri, Srimangala in the district. On February 22, Chinni (60), a female worker, was killed by the predator. The principal chief forest conservator has since issued an order to either capture the tiger alive, or as a last resort, to kill it by firing at it, as it has already killed three humans.