M F AHMED
Daltonganj, Nov.1: The claims of sighting a tiger by a government doctor and security guard at Kharcha, Latehar last Wednesday night remains ‘inconclusive’ and bears no truck with the circumstantial evidence, according to sources.
Deputy Director (South division) of the Palamu Tiger Reserve, Mukesh Kumar, visited and inspected the site where a tiger was supposedly sighted by Dr. P. Kumar and his security guard last Wednesday night.
Mukesh Kumar spent nearly an hour at the spot looking for anything that could even remotely suggest a tiger had passed through the small hillock that is barely hundred meters away from the two-storey residence of the government doctor.
The doctor posted in the primary health centre at Kharcha had claimed to have seen a tiger along with his security guard from the rooftop of his quarter. He had even described the bright eyes, stripes and the fabulous gait of the tiger even.
However, the findings of the deputy director do not corroborate this claim. He said, “The locale where this claim to have sighted a tiger was made is a perfect piece of natural ambiance. There is a small hillock. Human habitation is few, far and between.”
The PTR officer also said that the security guard does not look sure of the claimed spotting. He looked perplexed when asked if he really sighted a tiger. He neither nodded in affirmation nor in denial. “There is no report of any kill found in the areas surrounding this alleged sighting locale,” he added.
Mukesh Kumar when asked about the findings of the claims, said, “It is inconclusive as one of the two who first made a big claim to have sighted a tiger is now fumbling for words.”
PTR had rushed in 5 trap cameras here to record the images of the tiger, if any, in the locale. Sources said that two trap cameras turned out to be non-functional and only three could be installed at strategic locations where wildlife is expected.
“We did send 5 trap cameras. Two were found to be out of order. Three were installed but none of the three installed cameras had any image of any wildlife so far,” added Mukesh Kumar.
According to sources, mission ‘detect tiger’ seems to be heading towards disbandment following nothing on the ground to justify any prolongation of the search for the animal.
