Clip of tiger eating cow near HPF unit causes scare in Ooty

COIMBATORE: A tiger was spotted near Hindustan Photo Films Manufacturing Company Ltd (HPF) triggering panic among people in Ooty on Thursday.

The video of the tiger, taken on a mobile phone by some members of the public, had been circulated on social media. The residents claimed that a tiger is on the prowl in the HPF locality over the last few months.

“On July 28, a buffalo was found killed and a post-mortem revealed that it died of tiger attack,” said the villagers. Meanwhile, a team of Forest Department staff, who visited the spot, claimed that a post-mortem will be done to ascertain if the cow, which was found dead, was the tiger’s kill.

“Camera traps will be fixed to monitor the movement of the tiger. Local residents have been sensitised to stay alert and not come out during night due to the presence of the tiger. Cattle shouldn’t be taken for grazing in vulnerable areas. Not only tigers, leopards have also been visiting the sprawling premises of now defunct HPF,” said an official.