Tigress had killed two villagers

Nagpur, 10 July (HS): For the first time in the history of the

Forest Department a lady veterinary doctor shot dart to tranquilise a tigress

who killed two villages. The tigress had killed two in Umrer Forest Range in

Nagpur district. Veterinary Doctors Dr Priyal Chauragade achieved the feat by

standing in a cage.

About three-year-old tigress had killed Nirmala

Gabhne on March 26 and Digambar Patil on June 6, when they were working in a

farm. The tigress had attacked three others but they survived. The villagers

had staged agitation with a demand to catch the tigress. The Principal Chief

Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) M S Reddi had approved the proposal to catch

the tigress.

The movement of tigress was monitored through a camera

trap. Dr Chauragade and her colleague Pratik Ghate sat in the cage and waited.

Despite low visibility and possible danger of attack, Dr Chauragade completed

the operation by perfectly shooting the dart and tranquilised the tigress.

The tigress was then moved to Nagpur’s Transit Treatment

Centre. Regional Conservator of Forest, J Guruprasad, Deputy Conservator of

Forest Dr Vinita Vyas and Assistant Conservator Manoj Dhanvijay supervised the

operation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar