Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan – A tragic incident took place in the heart of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve on Sunday when a forest range officer died in a fatal tiger attack. This heart-wrenching incident has shocked forest officials and wildlife lovers across the country.
A range officer was attacked by a tiger in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. The tiger dragged the officer into the forest. The forest workers also chased the tiger but by then it was too late. The range officer died in the tiger attack.
Tiger Attacks Forest Officer in Zone 3
The incident took place around 3 pm near Jogi Mahal in zone 3 of Ranthambore National Park. Recently promoted forest range officer Devendra Chaudhary was on routine patrolling and tracking duty near the ancient Yagyashala area when he was suddenly attacked by a tiger near the "Chhoti Chhatri" area.
According to the information, Ranger Devendra Chaudhary came to Jogi Mahal from Gudha Naka at around 3 pm on Sunday. He also had additional charge of Jogi Mahal.
According to eyewitnesses, the tiger dragged them into the forest and sat on the ranger's body for about 20 minutes. The forest workers chased the tiger away after a lot of effort. The tiger attacked the ranger's neck with its teeth and nails. Devendra was taken to the district hospital, where the doctor declared him dead. After receiving information from the forest workers, forest department officials reached the spot. The forest department has not confirmed which tiger attacked.
Forest department closed the road to Trinetra Ganesh Temple
After the incident, the forest department has ordered the closure of the Trinetra Ganesh Temple route from May 12 till further orders. Officials said that tiger activity has increased near the Mandir Marg, Fort and Jogi Mahal area and about 13-14 tigers have been sighted in recent days.
Who Was Devendra Chaudhary?
Devendra Chaudhary was the only child of his parents and joined the forest department 8 years ago in place of his late father. Recently he was promoted to the post of Range Officer, giving him additional charge of Jogi Mahal area. He is survived by his wife and one-and-a-half-year-old son.
Tiger Likely Linked to Tigress Arrowhead's Cubs
According to forest guard Amit, Devendra was dropped off just before the Jogi Mahal gate for patrolling. Around the same time, tigress Riddhi's and Arrowhead's cubs were also reportedly active in the same area. The tiger involved in the attack has not yet been identified by the forest department.
In an exclusive update from the Ranthambore National Park forest department, it has been revealed that Avni (Kankati), daughter of tigress T-84 aka Arrowhead, has been found to be the killer in the case of Ranger Devendra Singh Chaudhary's death. The pictures captured in the forest department's camera have confirmed that Avni is the killer.
Second Tiger Attack Death in One Month
This incident is the second tiger-related death in Ranthambore within a month. On April 16, a 7-year-old boy was killed by a tiger while he was returning from the Trinetra Ganesh temple with his grandmother. The tiger dragged the child into the forest and stayed with the body for a long time. The attack took place in the Amrai forest area.
A Growing Challenge in Tiger-Human Conflict
Ranthambore is one of India's major tiger reserves, but the rise in human-tiger encounters in and around the core zone is becoming a matter of concern. Increased patrolling, awareness and strict safety protocols are now more important than ever to protect both humans and wildlife.