Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to spot a single tiger or big cat during his 22-kilometre safari in Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR) on Sunday, from 7.15 a.m. to 9.30 a.m.
Madhusudhan, the 29-year-old driver of the vehicle in which the PM travelled, is being blamed, and some BJP leaders and senior forest department officials have demanded that action be taken against him for not choosing a route where tigers could be spotted.
There were also reports that the registration of the vehicle in which the Prime Minister went had been cancelled.
PM's security team could be responsible
Interestingly, it has now been revealed that members of the PM's security team, the Special Protection Group (SPG), local police, the anti-Naxal force, and every other team that went on many safaris on the same route for five days before the PM's excursion are almost entirely to blame.
A senior BTR officer revealed to The New Indian Express that personnel performing rounds on that road for "security purposes" were able to observe tigers on the five days leading up to the PM's visit. However, the PM only saw some new tiger pugmarks and no tiger.
According to the official, the felines have become accustomed to vehicles passing through that area. Only this time (Sunday) they might have relocated to safer and calmer regions when the Prime Minister was in Madhusudhan's car.
Following the safari, the Prime Minister gently complained to BTR authorities about not seeing a single tiger or wild animal. When informed about the reason why this could be, the Prime Minister turned on his security team and pointedly reminded them that they had denied him a tiger/wild cat sighting.
