A tiger suspected of killing two people was darted and caught on Friday in southern India.

Seven trained elephants were used to corner the big cat near Nagarahole National Park in the state of Karnataka.

A vet then shot the tiger with a tranquilising dart and the animal was covered with a net before being transferred to a cage.

The tiger was expected to be moved to a conservation centre.

The cat is suspected of killing two residents of a local village in a space of four days.

Villagers launched protests, blaming the rise in tourism for disturbing the animal.

However, forestry officials said the tiger had a deformed leg which made catching its natural prey difficult which turned it into a man-eater.

A tiger that killed two persons during last week near Nagarahole National Park was successfully tranquilised on February 1.

Seven trained elephants were pressed to trap the big cat.

Veterinary assistant Akram, who rode one of them, and sighted the tiger and followed it.

The tiger tried to hide behind vegetation but Akram’s elephant went around the spot to get a view of the crouching animal.

Akram then shot a tranquilising dart immobilising the tiger, which was immediately covered with a net and transferred to a cage.

It is expected to be shifted to an animal conservation centre after examination.

The tiger had killed two tribals from a village near Nagarahole forest in a span of just four days.

The villagers had gone on protest blaming the rise in tourism for disturbing the habitat of the animal.

But forest officials said the tiger had a slight deformity in a leg, which had made hunting for food difficult.