Nilgiri, August 24: Political parties, traders, and transport operators have announced a two-day general strike in the Gudalur assembly constituency of Tamil Nadu on August 27 and 28. They are demanding action from the forest department to prevent wildlife attacks.
This decision follows the recent deaths of two individuals due to suspected tiger attacks in the Loriston area of O-Valley Town Panchayat, leaving the local community in fear.
During a meeting at the office of the DMK MLA in Gudalur on Sunday, representatives from BJP, Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), NTK, DMK, and SDPI decided to organize the shutdown. They sought support from traders, auto-rickshaw and taxi operators, as well as plantation workers. A resolution was also passed demanding the release of VCK and DYFI officials arrested during protests on August 21, following the death of the second victim, K. Ravi Kumar.
Traders have announced that grocery stores will remain closed during the strike, and auto-rickshaws and taxis are expected to stay off the roads. Operations at resorts and cottages in the popular tourist destination of Masinagudi in Nilgiri are also likely to be halted.
The Gudalur Business Association stated that estate workers will join the protest, and they have decided not to send their children to school on both days. The organization emphasized that the goal of the shutdown is to demonstrate unity among the people and to pressure authorities to prevent further deaths, as locals live in constant fear.
DMK’s Gudalur Town Secretary S. Ilanchezhiyan accused the forest department of failing to set traps for the tiger immediately after the first fatal attack on August 9. He stated that timely action could have saved Ravi Kumar’s life and demanded that the animal be eliminated, as the attacks occurred near residential areas.
During the protests on August 21, two police officers were reportedly injured by thrown bottles, leading to the arrest of seven individuals. Political representatives claim that the police detained public representatives instead of identifying those directly involved.
Revenue officials have yet to engage in discussions with the concerned parties and traders’ organizations. Gudalur’s Revenue Divisional Officer S.K. Gunasekaran mentioned that talks would commence once approval is received from Nilgiri Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Taneru.
Meanwhile, the forest department has increased the number of traps from six to eight and the number of camera traps to 60. District Forest Officer P. Devaraj reported that teams have found tiger paw prints and droppings, indicating the presence of a tiger, although it has not yet been sighted directly.
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