Days after a forest ranger was mauled to death at Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, forest officials have successfully tranquilised the tigress believed to be behind two fatal attacks. The young tigress, named Kankati, was located near Kutalpura village early Wednesday morning, prompting a swift response from the forest department. After nearly two hours, the animal was tranquilised and safely secured.
The tigress is suspected of killing forest ranger Mr. Devendra Chaudhary on May 11 and is also linked to the death of a 7-year-old boy near the Trinetra Ganesh Temple within the sanctuary on April 16. The twin incidents had sparked widespread panic among local residents.
According to forest department sources, the young tigress may have become unusually bold around humans. Officials had previously assisted her aging mother by providing food, potentially disrupting the tigress’s natural hunting instincts and fear of humans. As a result, Kankati is believed to have developed an abnormal pattern of human interaction, culminating in the tragic attacks.
The tigress is now being kept in an enclosure, pending further decisions about her future. Meanwhile, attempts to reach the Rajasthan forest department for further clarification have been unsuccessful.
In response to the alarming situation, the Rajasthan government has constituted a six-member monitoring and advisory committee under the guidelines of the 2012 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). The committee will provide technical guidance and daily oversight to prevent such incidents in the future.
The panel includes Mr. P. Kathirvel, Chief Conservator of Forests, Bharatpur, among its members. According to the circular issued by the forest department, the committee is free to offer additional suggestions and is expected to submit its report at the earliest, given the gravity of the situation.
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