Ranthambore, Rajasthan: A forest ranger was killed by a tigress near the Jogi Mahal gate of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on Sunday – the second fatal attack in less than a month – highlighting growing concerns over a pattern of human-tiger conflict triggered by controversial management practices in one of India’s most iconic wildlife sanctuaries.
Devendra Singh Choudhury, a forest range officer, was mauled just metres from where a live buffalo had routinely been kept as bait for a well-known tigress, Arrowhead. The predator involved in both recent attacks has now been identified as one of Arrowhead’s cubs – a young tigress known locally as Kankati.
The April 16 attack saw seven-year-old Kartik Suman snatched from his grandmother’s side in front of dozens of pilgrims visiting the Ganesh temple within the reserve. Kankati had also lunged at a forest guard just three days earlier but retreated after being recognized and yelled at.
According to forest department insiders and wildlife experts, the root of the escalating danger lies in a series of poorly considered decisions – including the use of live bait for over two years – which have conditioned several tigers to associate humans and vehicles with food.
Live Baiting and Oversights
The baiting practice began in August 2023 after Arrowhead, displaced from her prime territory and suffering from a hip deformity, was spotted struggling to hunt while caring for a new litter. The department began supplying her with live buffalo calves – a move that soon attracted other tigers in the area.
By late 2024, four tigresses, two resident males, and nine cubs were frequently sighted near the Jogi Mahal gate – an area also bustling with safari jeeps, fort visitors, and religious pilgrims.
Of the 15 tigers known to frequent a five-square-kilometre stretch around the lakes and the fort, at least six young ones – including Kankati – were raised on live bait and have shown aggressive, uncharacteristic behaviour towards humans.
Despite repeated warnings from experts and field staff, the department relied on ad hoc deterrents such as firecrackers and rejected proposals to relocate Kankati after the April 16 child fatality.
Calls for Accountability and Action
Ranthambhore Field Director K.R. Anoop confirmed Kankati’s involvement in both recent fatalities and stated that a decision on her relocation is pending. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) mandates the removal of any tiger involved in two or more human attacks, but action appears stalled at the state government level.
Wildlife expert Valmik Thapar called the situation a “ticking time bomb,” stating: “Some tigers turn into nasty killers and must be jailed just like humans are for killing. That is the only way man and tiger will be able to survive into the future.”
While the forest department has yet to release an official post-incident report, sources indicate that concerns had been flagged for months. With rising tiger numbers, increasing proximity to human activity, and management missteps, the delicate balance between conservation and public safety in Ranthambhore now hangs by a thread.
