Tigress Sundari, who had created havoc in villages adjacent to Satkosia sanctuary and allegedly killed two villagers, was tranquillised on Tuesday morning near

Shiv mandir at Majhipara-Behera Sahi in Satkosia forest reserve.

Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Sandeep Tripathy said: “Our team tranquillised the tigress at 10am today (Tuesday). The tigress is in good health and kept in the enclosure at Raigoda core area of Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Further course of action will be chalked out in consultation with Wildlife Institute of India and the National Tiger Conservation Authority.”

Sources said though the government planned to bring it to Nandankanan Zoo, wildlife experts would take a call on the issue.

A forest department official said the tigress was located at Majhipara reserve forest for the last two days. The movement of the tigress was tra cked through the radio collar that had been strapped around her neck at the time of release.

“On Tuesday morning, the team prepared a blue print to tranquillise the tigress. With the help of kunki elephant Yosdaha, who had been brought from Chandaka sanctuary, they reached the spot. They, however, did not take the trained elephant to the core forest and preferred to wait for the arrival of Sundari. When Sundari reached the plain area, the team fired at her,” the official said.

However, there were conflicting versions regarding the way the team tranquillised the tigress.

According to one version, a live goat was kept as a bait to trap Sundari. As soon as Sundari fell in the trap, the team fired a dart that hit her on the back and she fell to the ground. But as the team is still in the core area, the version is yet to be ascertained.

The tigress was brought from Bandhabgarh on June 28 and was lodged in an enclosure at Raigoda till August 17 when she was freed in the wild.

Instead of going into the deep forest, the big cats stayed near the villages. On September 12, Sundari had allegedly killed one woman and on October 21 she fatally attacked a man triggering widespread violence in the region.

Following the demand of local residents, the authorities decided to tranquillise her. Efforts to tranquillise her started on October 23 and it yielded result on Tuesday.