Tiger responsible for two fatal attacks in Gudalur to be captured

A tiger responsible for two fatal attacks in Gudalur has been ordered to be captured by the Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu. The first victim was M. Balakrishnan, a 58-year-old farmer, who was killed on August 9, 2026 while fetching water from a stream near his home. Despite drone efforts to track the predator, the hunt proved unsuccessful until a second attack occurred on Friday, August 21, 2026.

K. Ravikumar, a 51-year-old resident, lost his life in the subsequent incident. Subsequent investigations and camera trap evidence confirmed the involvement of a tiger in both attacks. Locals protested against the inaction of the Forest Department and the State Government. In response, the Chief Wildlife Warden has now authorized the capture of the tiger, with the assistance of local officials and deployment of surveillance equipment.