Residents blockade NH after calf slain by big cat

Kozhikode: Residents blockaded the Kozhikode-Kollegal national highway stretch at Perinthatta in Wayanad alleging failure on the part of forest authorities in mitigating human-animal conflict after a tiger killed a calf on Sunday night. Protesters, including people's representatives and activists from political parties, blocked the national highway for around 30 minutes on Monday morning and this led to a traffic snarl on the highway.The big cat killed the one-year-old calf belonging to Puliyakulam Satheesan amid coffee plantations near the forest boundary on Sunday night. Though residents, who protested with the carcass of the calf, said that a tiger had killed it, South Wayanad DFO Ajith K Raman said there was confusion whether the animal was slain by a tiger or leopard.The protest was called off after the DFO visited the spot. He assured that a cage would be deployed to capture the big cat and the carcass of the slain calf would be used as bait. Also, a decision was taken to clear the undergrowth in the area and compensation would be paid to the owner of the calf.Protesters said that a tiger was roaming in the area and many residents had spotted the big cat recently.