Rajasthan: Tiger strays into forest-fringe village; infuriated locals mob rescue teams

Jaipur, Jul 16 (PTI) A juvenile tiger that had strayed into a village in Rajasthan's Alwar district was rescued after a nearly nine-hour-long operation, while an infuriated mob allegedly pelted stones at forest department teams and vandalised official vehicles, officials said on Thursday. The tiger was spotted moving through agricultural fields in Tulsiwala village in the Talvriksh Range of Sariska Tiger Reserve on Wednesday morning, after which villagers alerted the forest department. Forest department personnel, police and local revenue officials rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation, while advising villagers not to venture alone into fields or nearby forest areas. After nearly nine hours, the tiger was tranquillised and safely rescued before being shifted back to the Sariska Tiger Reserve, officials said. Field Director Sangram Singh said the operation was carried out under difficult circumstances. A section of the villagers allegedly pelted stones at forest department personnel during the final phase of the operation. One person was injured in the commotion, while four forest department vehicles were vandalised by the mob, Singh said. Despite the tense situation, the rescue team completed the operation, he said. According to villagers, a tiger had attacked and killed cattle in the area few days back, with two buffalo carcasses found while three others are missing. This heightened fear among villagers. They claimed despite informing the forest department, surveillance was not mounted in the area, leading to repeated incidents of tiger incursion into human habitation. PTI SDA ARB ARB