Tigers chase tourists, foresters sacked
RAIPUR: Two employees of a government-run jungle safari in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, were terminated from service on Sunday. The move came a day after a video of two tigers chasing a tourist bus inside the safari went viral on social media.
According to forest department officials, the video was shot on Friday while a group of tourists was on a safari in the jungle. Spotting two tigers, the bus reportedly stopped and one of the tourists tried to come out of the bus they were travelling in.
“Seeing him, the tiger rushed towards the bus. The tourist ran inside the bus and tried to shut the door but a window curtain fell and jammed the door,” said a forest department official not willing to be named. In the video, one of the tigers could be seeing trying to catch the piece of cloth sticking out and then chasing the bus for some time.
The official said that the bus should not have stopped inside the safari and the visitor should not have been allowed to disembark. District forest officer (DFO) Mercy Bela said the department has taken cognizance of the incident and terminated services of three contractual employees. “Forest guide Naveen Puraina and driver Om Prakash Bharti were removed from service,” the DFO said, adding no harm to animals or tourists was reported.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife), Atul Shukla, said an enquiry had been ordered. “Director of the jungle safari will head the enquiry and will submit a report as soon as possible,” Shukla said.
“As per our preliminary inquiry, the video was shot by the guide. Guides and drivers are trained to ensure safety of animals and visitors at the safari but these two staff ignored protocol. Instead of accelerating the vehicle, they should have waited and let the situation normalise,” said Nandanvan Jungle Safari Director M Mercy Bella.
The jungle safari in the outskirts of Raipur and spread over 270 hectares has about 125 cheetals, five black bucks, 20 chital, nine barking dears, 20 nilgai, five bears, four tigers and seven lions at present.