Satish Aditya
Motihari : A Bengal Tiger has created terror in riverine areas of Burhi Gandak near Pakaridayal, a Sub-divisional Headquarters town, in East Champaran District in North Bihar. The Tiger strayed out of Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve (VTR) in neighbouring West Champaran District about four days back and has reached riverine area near Pakaridayal in East Champaran District covering a distance of 125 km triggering panic among the people. The Tiger has not caused any harm to anyone so far.
Nearly four dozen members of a joint team of experts of Forest and Environment Department from Patna, Motihari ( East Champaran),Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve in West Champaran, and local police armed with tranquilizer guns and Cage Van has been conducting extensive searches in Burhi Gandak riverine areas near Pakaridayal in East Champaran district to trap the Bengal tiger. The rescue operation was launched on June 15, 2021, morning, but despite lapse of 36 hours the Tiger has not been rescued due to heavy and continuous rain, according to sources in Forest & Environment Department.
Hem Kant Roy, Field Director, VTR, said that the Tiger might have strayed out from Manguraha range of VTR after territorial fight between the old and new tigers. The experts and officials of Forest Department are trying to locate the tiger by following its pug marks. It is said that the tiger was moving back towards VTR from Pakaridayal area on June 16, 2021. Prabhakar Jha, Divisional Forest Oficer (DFO), Motihari,said that this Bengal Tger is full grown. ” We are keeping close watch on its movement,” he said.
According to a report, the tiger was first spotted by villagers on June 15, 2021, at a Mango orchard at Dumarbana village near Pakaridayal Market, which is 15 km away from Motihari.The news spread like wildfire and soon hundreds of villagers assembled there to see the tiger. DM, East Champaran, S K Ashok, DFO Prabhakar Jha, and police officials soon reached there and the area was cordoned off and forest officials swung into action. Pakaridayal is 125 km away in east from VTR. According to official sources, as soon as the rescue operation was started started by Forest officials, the tiger managed to escape into bushy areas and maize field though the maize field was surrounded from all sides.
The expert gunman of Forest Department fired three shots from tranquilizer at the tiger but missed the target and the big cat ran away towards open field and sneaked into maize field after sunset.The residents of around 50 villages near left embankment of Burhi Gandak river are spending sleepless night ever since the Tiger was spotted in the area. DFO Prabhakar Jha said ,” We are keeping close watch on the movement of tiger and it has started moving towards VTR.”