‘Strange beast’ on prowl sends Chengalpattu into a tizzy

In the early hours on Thursday, the officials monitoring the CCTV footage fixed on the GST Road noticed a strange animal loitering there. The news soon reached the villagers who claimed that it was a cheetah.

Sources said a cheetah was spotted in the locality in 2014 after which it was secured by the Forest department. At that time the cheetah had come out of the forest since there was no water available. After the Forest officials were informed about the latest sighting, the officials checked the video footage and said the animal was not a cheetah, but one belonging to wildcat species. Chengalpattu Forest ranger Pandurangan also showed the photos of the two animals and said people should not fear unnecessarily.