A two-year-old tigress, which has been suspected of turning into a man-eater, was captured from behind a local hotel in Rajasthan’s Ranthambore today after a tense standoff. The animal had earlier killed a forest ranger and a young child, causing fear and panic among local villagers. The capture occurred after the tigress was found hiding behind a cottage at a tourist lodge located near Kutalpura village, which is situated along the Ranthambore road.
The incident unfolded at around 6 AM when residents of Kutalpura village spotted the tigress in the bajra fields. Local villagers, concerned for their safety, quickly scrambled to rooftops and alerted both the police and the forest department.
“We see tigers straying out of the park more frequently now, and it has become a common sight. The presence of this tigress in the fields was alarming,” said Dhan Singh, a local resident of Kutalpura village.
The tigress, which had left the Ranthambore National Park last month, had previously been involved in the killing of a forest ranger on Sunday, and in April, it had attacked and killed a seven-year-old child. The latest sighting had sent shockwaves through the village, and when the animal wandered into the nearby “Machan” hotel, a luxury lodge, it created a tense situation for the hotel guests.
Vishal, the manager of the Machan hotel, recounted how the tigress walked around the hotel grounds, including the luxury tents and swimming pool area, before taking cover behind a personal cottage. The hotel staff immediately instructed guests to stay indoors for their safety.
“The tigress was walking around calmly, but her proximity to the guests was worrisome. She was spotted behind our personal cottage, which was when we called in the authorities,” Vishal said.
The Forest Department team, which arrived on the scene about two hours later, successfully tranquilized the tigress. She was then transferred to an enclosure within the national park, far from human habitation. Authorities are concerned that the tigress may be turning into a man-eater, given her aggressive behavior and prior attacks.
Rajendra Mali, the sarpanch of a nearby village, raised concerns about the increasing number of tigers straying out of the park. “The Forest Department should focus more on monitoring the tigers rather than on tourism,” he said. “It is becoming a regular issue, and people’s safety should be a priority.”
Bharat, a local police officer, cautioned the public to be vigilant when in tiger-prone areas. “People must stay indoors and avoid gathering around the animals, especially when they are spotted outside the park,” he advised. “Today, we were fortunate that the tigress did not attack anyone despite the crowd of nearly 100 people trying to get a glimpse of her. It took us over two hours to tranquilize the animal.”
This event highlights the growing concerns over human-wildlife conflict in areas surrounding Ranthambore National Park, where increasing instances of tigers straying outside the park have raised alarms. The authorities are under pressure to take swift action to prevent such incidents from escalating further.
As the local population remains on edge, it is clear that better monitoring and control measures are needed to ensure the safety of both people and wildlife in the region.
Sources By Agencies