Combing operation on; staff warned against moving alone
Mysore/Mysuru: The Forest Department and security personnel are on high alert after a tiger was spotted inside the 500-acre BEML campus on the outskirts of the city in the early hours of yesterday.
Around 4 am, while patrolling Engine Section Road, BEML security personnel initially mistook the animal for a leopard. As they slowed their vehicle for a closer look, the tiger approached them, came alarmingly close and then disappeared into the bushes.
The security staff recorded the encounter on a mobile phone and alerted the company management, which subsequently informed the Forest Department.
Last night, Forest officials inspected the BEML campus. While reviewing CCTV footage, they found two cameras that had clearly captured the tiger’s movements.
Camera traps to be laid
With the presence of the big cat now confirmed, the Forest Department decided to install camera traps this evening to monitor its movement. The mud roads inside the campus will be sprayed with water so that the big cat’s pug marks are visible to trace its movements.
BEML employees have been instructed to remain vigilant, avoid moving alone and refrain from recording videos on mobile phones for security reasons, as BEML is a Central Government undertaking.
Officials suspect tiger may have wandered in to hunt wild boars, which are plentiful within the 500-acre, vegetation-heavy premises.
The Forest Department has launched combing operations to track and capture the tiger. Yesterday afternoon, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) K. Paramesh, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Ravindra, Range Forest Officer (RFO) Santosh Hugar and other officials visited the campus but were unable to locate the animal.
DCF Paramesh said they rushed to BEML immediately upon receiving alert and added that combing operations and installation of additional camera traps would continue today. Instructions have also been given to BEML staff regarding safety protocols. It may be recalled that about two months ago, a tigress and three cubs were spotted near Yelwal. A subsequent operation rescued one cub, but the tigress and two cubs could not be traced and are suspected to have moved towards the Arabbithittu Forest in Hunsur taluk.
An ideal hunting ground: Tiger spotted 15 days ago
Villagers near the Chamundi Wildlife Rescue, Conservation and Rehabilitation Centre at Koorgalli — part of Mysuru Zoo — adjacent to the 500-acre BEML premises, claim they spotted the tiger nearly 15 days ago and had informed the Forest Department.
However, initial inspections at the time yielded no evidence. Now, with new sightings and CCTV footage, officials believe the earlier reports may indeed have been accurate.
The dense vegetation inside BEML supports a large population of wild boars, making it an ideal hunting ground. Officials suspect the tiger may have remained within the area over the past few weeks. Once camera traps capture clear images, the tiger’s stripe pattern will be compared with the Forest Department’s existing database. Preliminary checks of the mobile footage recorded by BEML staff show that the stripes do not match any known tiger, suggesting this may be an unregistered big cat. If confirmed, a new ID will be created for it. Should the tiger be identified as a new entrant, steps will be taken to safely capture and relocate it back into the wild, according to sources.
This post was published on November 30, 2025 6:45 pm