Bandipur Tiger Reserve spans Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts and has witnessed several incidents involving tigers in recent months. The introduction of body cameras aims to monitor the location and performance of forest staff, including patrol movements and response times.
A senior Tiger Reserve official said the footage captured by the body cameras is transmitted live to a screen at the Bandipur central office, enabling officials to track real-time activities and assess the response of personnel at specific locations.
Following the rollout of body cameras, additional safety measures for forest staff are also being planned. These include protective gear for personnel involved in combing and animal capture operations, particularly during encounters with straying tigers and leopards.
In the past few months, two villagers were killed in tiger attacks, while another, identified as Mahadev Gowda, survived an encounter. The incidents occurred in border villages of Hediyala, Nugu and Omkara between September and November.
Angered by the deaths of villagers Chowdaiah Nayak and Rajshekar, locals accused forest staff of delayed responses and insufficient preventive measures to curb the movement of wild animals into human settlements.
Responding to the allegations, the senior official said forest personnel remain alert round the clock and have advised villagers not to venture out alone during early morning and late evening hours. “Man-animal conflict is under control,” the official said, adding that continuous efforts are being made to improve response and safety.