Tiger rescued from house in Ranchi village, to be released in Palamu Reserve after medical checkup

RANCHI: A tiger was successfully rescued from a house in Mardu village, Silli block, Ranchi district, near the Jharkhand-West Bengal border, approximately 70 kilometres from the district headquarters.

The operation, conducted by a joint team from the Palamu Tiger Reserve and Ranchi’s forest department, concluded without any harm to human life despite its location in a densely populated area.

The tiger, initially spotted in the Palamu Tiger Reserve months ago, will be taken to Ormanjhi zoo for a medical checkup before a decision is made on its release, likely back into the Palamu Tiger Reserve.

#WATCH | Ranchi, Jharkhand | Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife, Paritosh Upadhyay says, “Since we got the information, we were planning how to capture it (tiger). We called the teams from the local zoo and the Palamau Tiger Reserve…We will release it in the… https://t.co/5prdWmlMe8 pic.twitter.com/ZFgf2XAzlH

— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2025

Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Wildlife Paritosh Upadhyay said that planning began as soon as the tiger’s presence was reported, with teams from the local zoo and Palamu Tiger Reserve mobilised to ensure a safe capture.

“Since we got the information, we were planning how to capture it (the tiger). We called the teams from the local zoo and the Palamau Tiger Reserve…We will release it in the Palamau Tiger Reserve after the medical checkup”, he said.

Divisional Forest Officer, Ranchi, Srikant Verma, described the operation as challenging. “It was tough to bring the tiger out without any bait. It is very important to keep the tiger safe. You can see the cooperation among the teams here. We will conduct a preliminary checkup, and then we will release it into the wild. Firstly, we will take it to the zoo”.

Purandhar Mahato, the house owner, recounted the harrowing incident, explaining how he and his family moved their livestock to safety when the tiger entered.

“I called out to my daughter to quickly bring the goats and cows, including the calf, to safety. As we were moving the goats, the tiger entered, causing the animals to scatter in panic. It was around 4.30 pm, and the light was fading. My daughter shouted, ‘Papa, a tiger is here!’ The tiger began roaring, and I rushed my children into another room, locking the door. I feared the tiger could break in, and soon it did enter the room where we were. I had already instructed my daughter that if the tiger got in, she and her sibling should escape through the window, which they did. I was left alone with the tiger in the room for nearly an hour,” he said.

No loss of human life was caused in the incident. (ANI)