East Godavari District Collector Keerthi Chekuri declared a holiday on February 4, 2026, for all schools within five kilometers of Diwancheruvu on Rajamahendravaram’s outskirts. This decision came after a tiger entered the Diwancheruvu Reserve Forest. The Forest Department confirmed that the tiger crossed the national highway on Tuesday night to enter the forest area. Ms. Keerthi stated, "The Forest Department team is tracking the movements of the tiger through drones." A team appointed by the National Tiger Conservation Authority is working to tranquilise the tiger as it has entered areas closer to human settlements. Travelers on the national highway have been advised to be cautious. Ms. Keerthi also appealed, “not to share any fake videos and photos on the social media platforms as such acts would create panic among the public.” The tiger was last seen preying on cattle on February 1 in Torredu village. Since then, it has traveled almost 50 kilometers. This male tiger is believed to originate from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Maharashtra. It reportedly swam across the Godavari River near the Polavaram irrigation project to reach the outskirts of Rajamahendravaram.