Bhopal: Tiger on the move, forest staffers had a narrow escape near Kaliasot jungle

Bhopal(Madhya Pradesh): Forest employees had a narrow escape when a tiger roaming around the areas close to restaurants and hotels running adjacent to Kaliasot jungle tried to charge upon them on Tuesday evening. The forest staffers had to run for their lives. The movement of a big cat has been noticed for the last two-three days.

A forest official said that on Tuesday, the tiger had killed a dog sitting near a restaurant running in the area. The tiger had pounced on the dog and killed it. The feline spotting the forest employees tried to charge on them, however, the employees managed to flee from the spot. The big cat then disappeared in the jungle.

The department has deployed around 20 employees in the area where the big cat has been spotted. While eight staffers keep a watch in the morning, around a dozen employees monitor the area during night hours.

The people are being advised to remain alert and avoid taking the route during evening hours. “We are alerting the people against visiting hotels and restaurants situated close to Kaliasot jungle during evening hours as currently a tiger is on the move in the area,” said district forest officer Alok Pathak to Free Press. The official said that besides a tiger, movement of a tigress was also detected two days earlier.

When contacted, Chief Conservator of Forest Rajesh Khare told Free Press that currently the department is not planning to capture the big cats as Kaliasot jungle is their native habitat. There is no plan to catch them. However, close monitoring of its movement is underway, he added.

The officials said that after the evening, villagers residing in the vicinity stop taking the route of Kaliasot jungle, however, the youngsters and people coming to restaurants and hotels situated near Kaliasot jungle are the major concern. The department staffers deployed in the area are advising them to keep avoiding visiting the hotels and restaurants after evening hours.  

In Kaliasoth jungle, there are a total of six big cats including the tiger, tigress and four cubs. The tiger is around three-year-old, the tigress is much older. The cubs are around four to five months old, said Pathak.