Tiger ambush in Ranthambore: Guards dump bike and sprint as big cat tears it apart

JAIPUR: Two forest personnel narrowly escaped after they suddenly came face-to-face with a tiger inside the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) Monday morning.

The incident occurred around 9:30am near Sultanpur naka in Gada Doob forest area of the range of project tiger (ROPT) within Ranthambore. Forest Guard Niranjan and Home Guard Jitendra Sharma ventured close to the area on a motorcycle when they unexpectedly encountered a tiger identified as RBT-2511, said officials.

A forest staff member at RTR said, "The tiger was sitting near a sharp bend along a steep stretch of the forest track. As the motorcycle approached the turn, the tiger suddenly appeared in front of them and let out a loud growl, catching the staff off guard."



In the face of immediate danger, the two forest personnel abandoned the motorcycle and ran nearly 15 metres ahead to a safer distance. Armed only with sticks, they stopped there and kept a close watch on the tiger's movements while ensuring they maintained distance from the animal.

The tiger remained near the abandoned motorcycle for nearly 10 minutes. During this time, it clawed and tugged at the vehicle. "It circled the motorcycle several times and tore the seat. The animal also struck the vehicle repeatedly with its paws."

For several minutes, the two personnel waited at a distance, closely monitoring the tiger's behaviour. After some time, the tiger moved away towards a nearby hill, easing the situation and allowing the staff to move to safety.

"A tourist gypsy reached the spot within minutes and picked up the forest personnel from the area. Both men escaped unharmed, though the motorcycle sustained visible damage during the incident," said a forest official.

The official said, "Such encounters sometimes occur in forest areas, especially along narrow tracks and blind turns where visibility is limited. However, the animal did not attack or chase the staff. It quietly moved away after posing no danger."