Paralakhemundi: Panic gripped people living in bordering villages of Rayagada and Gajapati districts with Andhra Pradesh after a video of a Royal Bengal tiger went viral Tuesday. Sources said that the forest where the tiger has been spotted is the Bhamini range in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. Since the video of the tiger went viral, officials of the Forest department of both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have been on high alert. They are constantly patrolling the forests near the border areas to find out the exact location of the tiger.
Officials of the Forest Department informed Tuesday the tiger was seen inside a forest at Gunupur in Rayagada district a couple of days back. However, since then the animal has crossed into Andhra Pradesh. Officials of the Andhra government, said Tuesday that some tiger pug marks have been spotted in the Bhamini and Kotturu forest ranges. Residents of villages leaving in the border areas of the two states have been asked to remain alert and stay inside after sunset. They have also been asked to keep their pets in safe enclosures and to inform Forest Department officials if they spot the big cat.