Special team brought in from MP to aid search for elusive tigress in Yavatmal, miffed with nawab Nawab Shafat Ali Khan for ruining moment they'd almost cornered big cat
One of the cattle killed by the tigress
Had it not been for a royal intervention, the notoriously evasive tigress T-1 could have been successfully tranquilised near Pandharkawada in Yavatmal district on Wednesday. Sources said a veterinary team from Madhya Pradesh, part of the 60-member search party for the man-eating tigress, was close to darting her, but before they could do so, controversial shooter Nawab Shafat Ali Khan allegedly reached the spot and camped out with his team. Khan's presence disturbed the big cat, and she vanished into the bushes.
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen with her cubs
Sources said the team was expected to dart the tigress on Tuesday. An official from the state Forest Department (FD) team, who is part of the team that has been trying to tranquilise and capture T-1, told mid-day, "On Tuesday afternoon, the tigress reportedly killed two cattle. The MP team of veterinary experts, lead by veterinarian Dr Akhilesh Mishra - who has successfully tracked and rescued more than 50 tigers - with the help of two elephants, had not only seen the tigress, but also spotted her cubs at the spot where they were taking refuge.
The team of experts had planned to corner the tigress with the help of their elephants
The MP team waited at a safe distance for the tigress to come for the kill along with her cubs, in order to tranquilise and capture them alive." But there was a bump in the road. "While all this was happening, the Nawab also got to know about it. He and his team reached the spot in their vehicles and caused disturbance, after which the tigress and her cubs vanished," said the official.
Nawab kept butting in
Turns out, this was not the first time the Nawab butted in and ruined an operation. A member from the MP team said, "In the last one week that we were on the ground to track the tigress, we were successful in getting very close to her and her cubs, but every time, the Nawab came in and disturbed her. On Tuesday also, the tigress had killed two cattle, and had we not been disturbed, we would have allowed her and her cubs to feed on the kill. Once the cubs were settled after eating, we were going to corner the tigress with the help of our elephants and successfully capture her and the cubs."
In order to tranquilise and capture her, but the nawab ruined their plans
The member added, "When we left the spot Tuesday evening, we told the Maharashtra FD officials to not allow anyone in the area where the tigress had killed the cattle. However, I was told that the Nawab and his team stayed near her kill till 5 am, which is illegal. He's not even a veterinarian, how can he go there with a tranquilising gun?"
No support for experts
"The FD team visited the spot on Wednesday morning and told us that the area has been disturbed and there are no signs of the tigress and her cubs. We informed this to our seniors in MP and they've asked us to return, because there is no point in waiting, when they have already involved a private, controversial shooter who is being treated as if he is a state guest. We did not get the kind of support or cooperation that we expected," said the member. A section of the state FD team was also angry with the trigger-happy Nawab for allegedly creating the issue.
Speaking to mid-day, the principal chief conservator of forests, Madhya Pradesh FD, Shahbaz Ahmad said, "Our experienced veterinarian and his team, along with two elephants, were in Pandharkawada for the last one week to tranquilise and trap the tigress. But today, we've decided to withdraw from the operation as the Maharashtra FD has already involved a private shooter in it."
Following the failure of Wednesday's operation, a high-level meeting also took place at the forest division office in Yavatmal, in the presence of senior FD officials and the Nawab. mid-day tried to contact the Nawab, but he remained unavailable for comment. The state chief conservator of forests, Yavatmal (territorial), Pradip Rahurkar was also unavailable for comment.
Asked to stay away
However, a source said, "The Nawab was a part of the meeting and we have asked him not to venture into the forest on Thursday. Our veterinary team on the ground will track the tigress and try to tranquilise her. We'll also be talking to the MP team, to request them to help us in the operation. We'll assure them that they won't face any problem." Sources also told mid-day that there is a lot of pressure on FD because they've involved Nawab. A senior female politician from New Delhi had also called FD expressing her anger for bringing him in, and sending a woman officer to hotel he was staying at to apologise to him.
Also Read: Wanted! Dead or Alive: Tigress T1 on the loose after killing 13
Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
