Nearly a month after a tiger killed a man and partially ate the body in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district, authorities have captured the big cat, according to officials.

The forest department had sounded a red alert for 36 villages in the area as the animal had terrorised locals.

Around 140 persons including forest department personnel and villagers were involved in the search for the big cat, Raisen divisional forest officer (DFO) Vijay Kumar told PTI on Thursday.

“The animal has been rescued and tranquilised. It will be released in Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR),” he said.

The tiger killed Maniram Jatav, a resident of Neemkheda village, 35 km from Bhopal city, on May 15. It also preyed on cattle, and had been spotted roaming in the area.

The village is located in the eastern range of Raisen Forest division.

Two days after Jatav's half-eaten body was found, a red alert was sounded for 36 villages in the surrounding area, spread over 150 sq km. People were asked not to venture into the forest till the animal was captured.

A red alert is issued when there is a threat to human life by a wild animal, DFO Kumar said.

Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary which houses more than 60 big cats is situated in Raisen district.

Madhya Pradesh has the highest 785 tigers in the country, as per the latest official count.

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