Repeated attacks, a serious injury and 23 livestock kills have prompted Maharashtra wildlife authorities to authorise the permanent capture of the male tiger.
Chandrapur, Maharashtra | September 28, 2026
Maharashtra’s wildlife authorities have ordered the capture of male tiger T-122 following a series of serious human-tiger conflict incidents in the Saoli forest range of Chandrapur district.
Chief Wildlife Warden M Srinivas Reddy issued the order on September 24, authorising the Chief Conservator of Forests, Chandrapur Circle, to deploy an expert team to capture the tiger. The decision follows three human deaths, one serious injury and 23 livestock kills attributed by forest authorities to T-122 since August 1.
Three Fatal Encounters Since August
The first fatal incident was reported on August 1, when Hiraman Sakhare of Samda was killed.
On August 26, Namdeo Kukudkar of Keroda survived an encounter with the tiger but suffered serious injuries.
The conflict escalated again on September 16, when Vasudev Wakudkar of Nilsani Petgaon was killed. Five days later, on September 21, Hemant Bhurse of Samda became the third person to lose his life in an incident attributed to T-122.
23 Livestock Kills Add to Conflict
Along with the human casualties, authorities have recorded 23 livestock kills attributed to the tiger.
T-122 has repeatedly been sighted around farms and near roads, increasing concern among people living in villages across the Saoli range.
The affected settlements include Vyhad Budruk, Samda, Sonapur, Nilsani Petgaon, Kapsi, Kadholi, Sirsi, Sakhri, Jibgaon, Petgaon, Jamb Budruk, Petgaon Raitwari, Haramba, Umri, Donala and Upari.
For residents who routinely enter fields or forest-edge areas for agriculture and livestock grazing, the tiger’s continued presence has become a serious safety concern.
Committee Recommends Permanent Capture
A committee constituted to examine the conflict recommended the permanent capture of T-122.
The panel considered the repeated encounters, the concentration of tigers in the landscape and the possibility of further conflict. It also warned that another attack could intensify fear and anger among local communities.
Following the recommendation, wildlife authorities authorised an expert team to tranquilise and capture the tiger whenever a suitable opportunity arises.
Round-the-Clock Search and Surveillance
Forest Department teams are carrying out round-the-clock patrols, while camera traps are being used to track T-122’s movements.
Officials are also conducting awareness drives in villages to reduce the chances of another encounter while the capture operation continues.
Capturing a free-ranging tiger is a difficult operation. Teams must correctly identify and locate the targeted animal before veterinarians can attempt tranquilisation without unnecessarily endangering the tiger, forest personnel or nearby residents.
The capture order specifically calls for efforts to minimise trauma and prevent unnecessary human imprinting on the animal.
What Happens After T-122 Is Captured?
Once captured, T-122 will undergo a veterinary health assessment.
According to the order, the tiger is then to be relocated to an appropriate natural habitat. The authorisation for the operation remains valid until November 30, 2026.
This means the present order is for capture rather than elimination of the tiger.
Chandrapur’s Larger Human-Tiger Challenge
The T-122 case highlights the difficult conservation situation in Chandrapur, where an important tiger population shares a broader landscape with numerous villages, farms and livestock.
Tigers do not recognise administrative boundaries. Animals moving outside protected forests can enter agricultural landscapes, forest patches and village surroundings also used daily by people.
Such overlap creates one of the most difficult challenges in tiger conservation: protecting human lives while conserving a legally protected large carnivore.
Capturing T-122 May Solve Only the Immediate Crisis
Removing T-122 from the Saoli landscape could substantially reduce the immediate danger facing the affected communities.
But the larger challenge will remain.
As long as people, livestock and tigers continue to use overlapping landscapes, authorities will need effective early-warning systems, rapid-response teams, monitoring of tiger movements and strong communication with villages.
For now, the immediate priority is to locate T-122 and complete the authorised capture before another dangerous encounter occurs.
Source Credit: The Times of India, “Tiger capture order issued after 3 human deaths in Saoli range,” published September 28, 2026.
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