Panic gripped unarmed forest guards at Alibanda Eco-Tourism Centre in Sharankhola Range of East Sundarbans on Wednesday when a Royal Bengal Tiger unexpectedly breached the perimeter fence and ventured inside.
With no weapons at hand, the frightened guards scrambled up a watchtower to take refuge, watching helplessly as the predator roamed the grounds.
A terrifying intrusion
The intrusion occurred at around 12pm noon, when the big cat slipped through a torn section of the centre’s nylon net fencing.
According to assistant range officer of Sharankhola Range Md Khalilur Rahman, forest guards witnessed the tiger making its entry. It is suspected that wild boars had previously cut through the nylon net fence, creating an opening that allowed the tiger to slip in.
Describing the moments of panic, the Officer-in-Charge of Alibanda Eco-Tourism Centre, Forest Ranger Md Farukul Islam said, they were completely unarmed.
Because of this when the animal breached the perimeter around midday, taking shelter atop the watchtower was their only recourse while they alerted higher authorities.
Mobilising the responders
Upon receiving news of the breach, a team of armed forest guards dispatched from Sharankhola Range Office arrived at the eco-tourism centre at around 2pm.
They were accompanied by 15 volunteers representing Village Tiger Response Team (VTRT), Community Patrol Group (CPG), and WildTeam.
Upon arrival, responders discovered numerous fresh tiger footprints across the grounds and suspected the animal was hiding within the dense bushes inside the centre.
To encourage the tiger to leave safely, the response team first opened one side of the nylon fence to create an unobstructed exit route.
They then initiated a noisy drive, blowing loud whistles through megaphones and banging tin canisters. When the sound failed to flush the animal out, the team detonated 10 firecrackers.
Vanishing into the dark rain
By approximately 5pm, officials confirmed that the tiger had safely retreated back into the deep forest after conducting a joint search and examining entry and exit footprints.
WildTeam Field Facilitator Md Alam Howlader said heavy downpours and dense, dark rain clouds created poor visibility, making direct visual confirmation impossible during the search.
Assistant Range Officer Md Khalilur Rahman explained that although the tiger appeared to have returned to the jungle shortly after entering, all precautionary measures were fully deployed to ensure complete safety.
Following the incident, forest guards stationed at Alibanda Eco-Tourism Centre have been instructed to maintain high vigilance.
