Pugmarks trigger panic in Bengal's Jhargram

Pugmarks found in some areas in West Bengal's Jhargram district on Wednesday triggered panic among the people, officials said.

Pugmarks found in some areas in West Bengal's Jhargram district on Wednesday triggered panic among the people, officials said. Most of the pugmarks, ranging from small to big, were seen in the forest adjoining the district police lines in Jhargram town, they said.

As the news of the pugmarks spread, people panicked, fearing whether it could be that of a tiger. Forest Department officials rushed to the spot and took measurements of the marks and also clicked photos.

"We don't think that it is a big animal. We feel it is a jackal or a hyena. There are many wild animals in this forest," a senior forests official said. However, officials said no domesticated animal has gone missing so far but they are maintaining strict vigil.

In January, several pugmarks were seen in Binpur's Lakkhanpur area. Later, a tigress along with her cubs was found to have strayed from the forest in nearby Jharkhand.