A state of heightened alert has gripped 36 villages in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district following a fatal encounter with a tiger near the capital city of Bhopal. The incident, which claimed the life of a 62-year-old man named Maniram Jatav from Neemkheda village, has prompted authorities to issue a red alert, signifying an imminent threat to human life posed by the wild animal.

Vijay Kumar, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) for Raisen, underscored the seriousness of the situation, emphasizing the need for vigilance and caution among residents.

Efforts to track and capture the elusive tiger are underway, with a coordinated response involving over 100 personnel, including forest officials and volunteers from prominent conservation organizations like the Wildlife Conservation Trust and Tinsa Foundation. A sophisticated surveillance network comprising 100 cameras has been deployed across the area, facilitating round-the-clock monitoring of the tiger’s movements.

The origins of the tiger’s incursion into this populated region trace back to Mhow in the neighboring district of Indore, according to forest officials. While tiger sightings have been sporadic in the area since 2017, the recent attack has heightened concerns among locals, prompting them to exercise caution, particularly during nocturnal hours.

The incident has also shed light on the broader issue of human-wildlife conflict in the region.

Authorities suspect that the tiger responsible for the recent attack may have strayed from the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, nestled within the Obaidullahganj forest division of Raisen. Home to a sizable population of over 60 big cats, Ratapani serves as a crucial habitat for wildlife in the region.

Madhya Pradesh’s standing as a stronghold for tiger conservation is underscored by its impressive tiger population, which stood at 785 according to the latest official count. However, incidents like these serve as stark reminders of the delicate balance that must be maintained between human activity and wildlife conservation efforts in the region.