By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Pauri, 14 Dec: The Forest Department has finally successfully tranquilised and caged the man-eating tiger that had been terrorising villagers in district Pauri, after days of fear and disruption across the Jaharikhal block. The residents of Amlesha and surrounding habitations have finally breathed a sigh of relief following the capture of the dangerous big cat early this morning. Just a couple of days ago, a man-eating leopard in the district, involved in several attacks on humans, was hunted down by noted hunter Joy Hukil on behalf of the forest department.
It may be reminded here that the tiger had been repeatedly sighted near human habitations in the Amlesha Gram Sabha area over the past several days. On 5 December, it was involved in a tragic encounter in Dalyungaj, where Urmila Devi (60), wife of Rajendra Singh, was mauled to death while she was collecting fodder close to her home. The fatal attack had sent shockwaves through the community, forcing many to remain indoors and curtail daily activities. The Pauri district has witnessed multiple tiger and leopard sightings and attacks recently, which had led to rising anxiety among villagers who regularly depend on forests for firewood and fodder.
In the case of this tiger, taking the seriousness of the situation into account, the Forest Department had launched an intensive search operation following complaints by the local people. A team led by senior wildlife veterinarian Dr Dushyant Sharma from Corbett Tiger Reserve was dispatched to the area. Cages were strategically placed at likely tiger movement points, and forest personnel were deployed for vigilant monitoring.
Veterinary doctor Dushyant Kumar was tasked with safely capturing the animal. After days of continuous surveillance, the operation succeeded at around 4 a.m. this morning, when the tiger was tranquilised and then securely caged by the departmental team.
Following a preliminary health check, the captured tiger has been transferred to the Dhela Rescue Centre in Corbett Tiger Reserve, where comprehensive veterinary examinations and further necessary care will be carried out. The Forest Department has appealed to local residents to remain cautious and avoid travelling alone to areas bordering the forest until the situation fully stabilises.
Experts say increased human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand is linked to growing big cat populations venturing beyond protected reserves in search of food and territory.
In the past few weeks and months, a large number of complaints of human-wildlife conflicts have been received, particularly from Pauri, Rudraprayag, Almora and Bageshwar, while from Haridwar some incidents of elephants strolling on the roads near human habitations have also been reported.
