Tiger T24 has been shifted from Ranthambore National Park to zoo at Sajjangarh Biological Park, Udaipur, Rajasthan and nine year long reign of T24 ended abruptly on 16 May 2015.

It was the black day for wildlife lover when Ranthambore dominant male Tiger Ustad a.k.a. T24 has been shifted from Ranthambore National Park to zoo at Sajjangarh Biological Park, Udaipur, Rajasthan and nine year long reign of T24 ended abruptly on 16 May 2015. The tiger T-24 has accused of killing four people in five years, two of the victims were employees of the forest department and two were local person. The action of relocation of tiger was taken when a 53 year old forest guard Rampal Saini, was mauled to death by Tiger on 8th may 2015 and it is claimed that T24 attacked him when he was relieving himself in the tiger territory.

According to the forest official He has lost fear of humans and become a man-killer, Besides Rampal Saini, Ustad or T24 was blamed for killing other three person including 23 year old Ghamandi Lal saini on 3rd July 2010, a 19 year old boy named Ashfaq in March 2012 and an assistance Forester Gheesu singh in October 2012 in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.

Operation Ustad
As per the source and publish news in TOI, The operation of shifting of the T24 was so esoteric that even the Forest Minister Raj Kumar Rinwa did not know about this relocation. On Saturday, 16 may 2015.

This morning Ustad aka T-24 was with his mate T39 aka Noor at "Magar Deh" on Zone no. 2. A sambar deer was killed by one of them and both T24 and T39 were sharing a sambar deer kill at around 9.15 am and Ustad was trying to startle away Noor orT-39, Suddenly Forest department officers and tranquilizer team reached there. But team had to wait to separate T-39 from Ustad, As soon as the tigress was away then tiger T24 was surrounded by different teams of officers. Tranquilize team leader and Dr. Rajeev Garg, a veterinarian fills medicine according the weight of Ustad body and tranquilized the T24 at around 10.30 am.

After an hour later Ustad was unconscious and team checked ustad's pulse, weight and body temperature. Team puts in to the cage in open canter and covered by a Tirpal (Cloth) and puts the ice around the cage to maintain the body temperature. Around 1 pm the canter carrying the cage left the reserve for Sajjangarh Biological Park. The Udaipur zoo is around 500 km from T24's territory in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.

A team of 12 reserve officials and doctors accompanied the canter carrying the cage. During travel from Ranthambhore to Sajjangath Biological Park Udaipur, the team were checking to ustad and putting ice time to time and water was sprinkled in the cage to keep it cool for the big cat. Nearly 11-hour-long journey, Ustad released in to half an acre enclosure in Biological Park midnight around 1:00 am. Thus tiger's reign ends and Ustad's territory that was spread over an area 30-40 square km in Ranthambore National Park , will now be cramped to an enclosure almost half-a-hectare.

A Controversial decision
Although wildlife lovers and tiger experts are opposed and told it is a totally wrong, bogus and injustice decision with Ustad T 24 by Forest Department of Rajasthan. Wildlife activists and conservationists were shocked because it was the U-turn by the Government and before tiger shifting Forest Minister of state Mr. Rajkumar Rinwa had assured that T24 would not be relocated from Ranthambhore to zoo or any other Park till a committee of Wildlife experts adduced a report on this matter. This is the worst and most deplorable occurrence that could happen in wildlife. Wildlife experts believe that Ustad's translocation was made without any scientific probe and this could result in unfavorable impacts for the population of tigers in Ranthambore tiger Reserve.

It's a heartbreaking story of ferocious, handsome, and, of late, the most photographed male tiger of Ranthambore. A doting father and a loyal mate, Ustad, have four human deaths to his credit. Video Credit to RAHEJA PRODUCTIONS.