Satish Aditya
Motihari : A Royal Bengal Tiger of Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran District in North Bihar, which had strayed into Pakaridayal areas in neighbouring East Champaran District around six-days back covering a distance of about 125 km triggering panic among the villagers, was finally caged safely by a strong Forest & Environment Department team and experts on June 17, 2021, evening.
The Tiger was caged safely on June 17 evening, by the Forest & Environment Department rescue team near Bela-Madhubani Ashram village under Chiraiya police station under East Champaran District. SDM, Sikrahna, Gyan Prakash, said the Tiger’s health was checked up and it was being sent back to VTR by cage van of Forest Department.
The Tiger was first spotted by the villagers in a mango orchard at village Dumarbana near Pakaridayal in East Champaran District on June 15, 2021. But it could not be rescued by the Forest & Environment Department team comprising 40 Members on June 15 and June 16, 2021. The Tiger, however, started returning towards Valmiki Tiger Reserve on June 16, 2021, night.
On June 17, 2021, morning, the tiger was again spotted by the villagers near village Raghopur on the bank of Sijhua hilly river under Chiraiya police station (PS) in East Champaran, 15 km away from Pakaridayal in north- west. The villagers informed police and forest officials about it.
The Forest & Environment Department team led by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Motihari, Prabhakar Jha, rushed to the spot and cordoned off the
area and rescue operation started in the presence of SDM, Sikrahna, in East Champaran District, Gyan Prakash. As soon as the rescue team members got ready to fire tranquiliser shot on the tiger, it managed to escape into bushy track on the bank of swollen Sijhua hilly river.