Panic gripped the populated area in village Sijhora Raiyat of Sijhora area under Kanha Tiger Reserve after villagers spotted a tiger, on Tuesday morning. On being informed by villagers, SDM Bichhia Sarjana Yadav, Circle Officer Sijhora and TI, Dharmendra Dhurve and other officers reached the spot. After taking stock of the situation, safety of local people was ensured by the team. At the site of the incident, Area Director Kanha Tiger Reserve, S K Singh and the rescue team reached and observed the tiger. The tiger was identified as T 67 of Kanha Tiger Reserve, aged around 12 to 13 years. Condition of the tiger was found to be weak. Due to injury on tiger’s leg, he had become very weak and was finding it difficult to walk.

 

Due to crowd of villagers, he was trying to go towards the nearby forest but due to interference, he sat near the fence of a house. Chief Wildlife Warden and Principal Chief Forest Conservator, Wildlife, Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal, were informed about the condition of the tiger on phone and permission was obtained to rescue the injured tiger. After receiving permission, the rescue team of Kanha Tiger Reserve in presence of N S Yadav, Deputy Director Buffer Zone Forest Division Mandla and Dr Sandeep Aggarwal Wildlife Doctor rescued the injured tiger. After anaesthesia, after inspection of the tiger the team found that all four canine teeth of the tiger were broken and there were deep injuries in legs.

 

Looking at the weakness of the tiger, it seems that it might not have been able to hunt in the nearby area, due to which it had become weak. The injured tiger was taken to quarantine centre at Mukki in Kanha Tiger Reserve for advance testing and health treatment, where special attention will be paid to his health in next three to four days and after assessing his condition, further action will be taken. In this rescue work, special cooperation was given in maintaining the administrative system by the forest staff of Bichhia area under former General Forest Division, Central Police Force staff and Revenue Department staff.