Woman Vet Waits 15-Hours On Machan, Darts Man-Eater Tiger

Nagpur: On the eve of International Women's Day, 27-year-old veterinarian Dr Priyal Chouragade sat motionless on a machan for nearly 15 hours, and successfully tranquillized a man-eater tiger that had been terrorizing villages in Parseoni taluka, about 40 kilometres from Nagpur. With a single, perfectly timed shot from her tranquillizer rifle, she ended months of fear in the region, where the elusive tiger had repeatedly outsmarted forest officials and tracking teams.
The Parseoni tiger had become the epicentre of a raging man-animal conflict with villagers blaming forest department for inaction, even though expert teams kept on tracking the big cat.Aware of the seriousness of the situation, Chouragade knew that missing her shot was not an option. From her concealed position on the machan, she carefully observed the bait placed to lure the tiger back to the spot. Hidden under layers of nets and leaves that acted as camouflage, she watched patiently through a small opening, waiting for the predator to return and finish the prey it had killed the previous day.Chouragade and her team were racing against time, but suddenly calls (by animals who detect tiger presence) in the wild increased and the sub-adult tiger, approximately 3 year-old, stepped out onto the clearing. The sight instantly raised Chouragade's pulse. She knew that even the slightest noise or movement could cause the tiger to bolt into the forest and disappear again. Maintaining absolute stillness, she carefully tracked the animal's movement.To improve her accuracy, Chouragade had removed the rifle's telescopic sight and relied entirely on her vision. Slowly and steadily, she aligned the rifle's nozzle with the moving tiger's body. Within minutes, the tiger settled near the carcass and began feeding on the prey.Even then, Chouragade did not rush the shot. She mentally reviewed every step of the process again and again — considering the tiger's movements, the growing wind speed, and the possibility of sudden changes in position.And finally the moment came, she took a deep breath, firmed her grip on the rifle, and pressed the trigger. The dart hit the tiger and it sprinted off. Chouragade's eyes followed the tiger until he entered a dense covering nearby, after which she gave a call to her team that was strategically placed all around.With that precise shot, Chouragade likely became the first woman shooter in Maharashtra to dart and rescue a tiger, marking a remarkable achievement on the eve of Women's Day.Speaking to TOI, Chouragade said, "I knew I made the shot, hence I called everyone; else it would be akin to risking their lives if the tiger attacks." It took 10 minutes for the tranquilliser to take effect, after which the team rushed in the direction pointed by Chouragade in search of the tiger and in 10 minutes they finally had the big cat. Despite the spotlight on her achievement, Chouragade emphasized that the operation was a team effort. Chouragade said it took two to tango, as she credited Dr Vinita Vyas, herself is a senior veterinarian apart from being a IFS, for giving her the opportunity to lead such a challenging mission."We knew it will come to eat the carcass. All exit passages were blocked," she added.Her team members included the experienced hands from TTC like Kundan Hate, Pratik Ghate, Vilas, and Bandu Mangar, which ensured that the entire rescue operation went off smoothly.Speaking to TOI, DCF (territorial, Nagpur) Dr Vinita Vyas said, "The tiger was brought back to Nagpur late at night. It is under observation at TTC Nagpur and is responding well."