Special train in MP evacuates 2 tiger cubs injured in rail accident

The two cubs were among three that were run over by a train at Midghat section in MP’s Sehore. One cub died on the spot

Published on: Jul 16, 2024, 22:36:32 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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BHOPAL: Two tiger cubs grievously injured after being hit by a train on Monday were evacuated for treatment by a special train run at the request of wildlife officials to bring the cubs from Sehore district to Bhopal’s Van Bihar 60km away, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

MS Dabar, divisional forest officer, Sehore, said the tiger cubs were rescued by a joint team and are doing well

The two cubs were among three that were run over by a train at Midghat section in Sehore. One cub died on the spot. The other two survived but were unable to move.

A forest team that reached the spot to help the cubs couldn’t reach them because a tigress was in the vicinity to protect them. The closest road was about 1.5km from the accident site and any effort to help the cubs could have led to a confrontation between the tigress and the team.

“It was very risky to rescue cubs in the rescue vehicle as the cubs were sitting near the railway track,” said a Madhya Pradesh forest department official.

MS Dabar, divisional forest officer, Sehore, said when the team tried to approach the cubs, the tigress would growl. The team waited all night near the accident site to rescue the cubs but did not get an opportunity. Finally, it was decided to request the railways to operate a special train for the tiger cubs.

“After receiving permission, a special train with about 50 people including administrative officers, forest officers, a team of veterinarians from Van Vihar Bhopal and a team of wildlife experts from Satpura Tiger Reserve left for Midghat. The train stopped just a few meters away from the cubs and used a net and a cot. The cubs were moved to the train within a few minutes. The treatment of cubs started in the train itself,” said Budhni sub-divisional magistrate RS Baghel said.

The train reached Rani Kamlapati railway station at 3pm with the cubs. “The cubs are responding to treatment and doing well,” added Dabar.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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