Nagpur: Reports of a tiger sighting near Uparwahi and Ghoghli villages in Kalmeshwar tehsil have triggered panic among residents, with farm labourers staying away from fields and villagers demanding increased monitoring by the forest department.However, forest officials said they have not come across evidence to confirm the presence of a tiger in the area. “The photographs circulating on social media appear to be AI-generated. We received information about a possible sighting, but camera traps installed in the area have not captured any wildlife movement so far,” said Praveen Sathawane, range forest officer (RFO), Kalmeshwar.Villagers claimed a full-grown tiger was spotted around 10 pm on Wednesday near Nice Paper Mill on the Ghoghli-Uparwahi Road. The animal was reportedly seen close to a house where cattle are kept, raising concerns as the location lies near the densely populated Ghoghli village.The reported sighting has revived fears among residents as a calf was allegedly killed in the same area about three weeks ago. With rumours of the tiger’s return spreading through the villages, several farm labourers have reportedly refused to venture into fields, affecting farm work.Sathawane said the locality is densely populated and there has been no previous record of tiger movement through the zone. “Still, as per protocol, we are verifying the information and monitoring the area,” he said.Meanwhile, villagers have urged the forest department to intensify patrolling and take preventive measures to avoid human-wildlife conflict.
