Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): Residents of rural areas in the district have been living in fear for a fortnight because of the movements of a tigress and a few leopards. The Balaghat district headquarters is surrounded by dark green forests. Some leopards preyed upon an axis deer (chital) near the Ranger College area.

Pug marks of leopards were spotted in the area. The damaged body of the axis deer was found near the Ranger College.  Similarly, there have been movements of a tigress in 15 villages in Katanti area under Goreghat forest circle. The area is adjacent to the borders of Maharashtra and Seoni district.

The residents of Khairlanji village under Tirori Tehsil are so scared of the tiger that the roads of the area wear a deserved look after 4pm. A few days ago, when the family members of a village Dayaram were sitting outside after taking food, they heard the mooing of cattle kept in the cowshed. When they went out, they saw a tigress attacking a cow.

But hearing the yells of villagers, the tiger ran away towards the forest. A few days ago, the tigress tried to attack a teacher when he was returning home from Mahkepar.

Deputy ranger Gyaniram Gotaphode said that the forest officials in Maharashtra and Seoni swung into action after getting information about the movements of the tigress.

The area, where the movements of the tigress were witnessed, comes under the Pench-Kanha corridor. On the other hand, ranger Dhmendra Singh Bisen confirmed that a few leopards attacked an axis deer.