A tiger cub was killed and two others were injured after they were struck by a train in Madhya Pradesh’s Midghat section near the Budhni area of Sehore on Monday. A special single-coach AC train was deployed from Bhopal to rescue the injured tiger cubs and bring them back to Van Vihar in the state capital.
Times of India reported that the railway section is in the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, which is yet to be declared a tiger reserve.
The dead cub, a male, was cremated after a post-mortem examination was conducted.
The male cub, who was aged around nine months, succumbed to his injuries near the railway track, while the two others, both females, remained stranded in a drain near the rail line.
Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Rajesh Khare, while speaking to ANI, said it was likely that the tigress was moving to drink water with her cubs in the morning when the three cubs were hit. When the [forest] department came to know about the incident, officials left for the spot immediately, he added.
“Both the cubs have been rescued and taken to Van Vihar, Bhopal, for treatment,” Khare added.
The special train was dispatched on the directions of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
Rescue efforts were hit when the mother of the cubs arrived at the spot, preventing forest officials from approaching them. According to PTI, the operations were later halted due to darkness and resumed on Tuesday morning. Veterinarians and Satpuda Tiger Reserve officials subsequently successfully rescued the two injured female cubs.
The cubs were transported to Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal before they were shifted to Van Vihar National Park for treatment.
The hind legs of both the cubs were non-functional due to the effects of tranquilisers. They will examined on Wednesday once the effects of the medication wear off.