Karnataka-based YouTuber Kithadi Kiran has brought to light a disturbing incident of mass tiger killings in the Meenyam beat of the Hoogyam range in the MM Hills. Expressing deep concern over the deaths of five tigers, Kiran fears that the incident may tarnish the reputation of his region and have far-reaching consequences for the local community.
According to Kiran, wildlife poaching is a recurring issue in and around his village, situated 70 kilometers from Kollegal. The village is connected to Ramapura via a single-lane road that bifurcates into two routes: one leading to Tamil Nadu and the other to Hoogyam. An off-road path also links to the exact location of the incident.
Despite infrequent tiger sightings in the area, Kiran suspects that the perpetrators might be local individuals. The region’s landscape, though not densely forested, has witnessed significant animal movement over the years, prompting villagers to exercise caution while traveling, especially at night, due to encounters with wildlife and fear on ghost sightings at Boodipadaga.
Kiran attributes the high incidence of animal movement to the area’s proximity to the Tamil Nadu forests, including the Sathyamangalam and Biligiriranga forests. This incident marks the first instance of mass tiger killings in the region, and Kiran is anxious about the potential backlash against his village. He posted a video on his YouTube channel.
Notably, the Malemahadeshwara deity has a traditional association with tigers, making the act of poisoning them particularly heinous. Kiran recalled instances of poisoning jackfruits with slow-acting poison to kill elephants and the use of urea in water holes, which resulted in the death of deer. He also mentioned a tragic incident of an elephant being electrocuted by a plantation fence and subsequently buried after being dismembered.
Kiran expressed disappointment that the incident was incorrectly linked to the Malemahadeshwara Hills, which is approximately 80 kilometers away from the actual location. He urged the media to correct the location to avoid any adverse social repercussions for his community, including potential difficulties in arranging marriages.
