A routine tiger safari at Ranthambore National Park took an unsavoury turn leaving behind a harrowing experience for 20 tourists, including women and children, who were left stranded for over 90 minutes in the dense forest after their safari canter broke down. The incident took place on the evening of August 16 in Zone 6, one of the park’s core tiger habitats.
According to reports, once the canter broke down, the guide, identified as Mukesh Kumar Bairwa, assured the group that he would fetch a replacement vehicle. However, he failed to return for a long time, leaving the tourists in an area notorious for its tiger presence and other dangerous wildlife.
The ordeal came to light after a video recorded by the stranded tourists went viral on social media. The footage showed children crying in fear as the group waited in the dark, with only mobile phone flashlights to ward off the pitch-black jungle.
The tourists were eventually rescued around 7:30 pm, nearly an hour and a half after being abandoned. Another canter was dispatched, though reportedly without proper headlights, further aggravating concerns over safety procedures followed by safari operators.
The incident prompted an immediate reaction from park authorities. Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Pramod Dhakad confirmed that the guide and three canter drivers—Kanhaiya, Shehzad Choudhary, and Liaqat Ali—were suspended and barred from entering the park pending the outcome of an inquiry.
The investigation has been assigned to Assistant Conservator of Forests Ashwini Pratap. Meanwhile, Field Director and Chief Conservator of Forests Anoop K.R. reiterated that tourist safety is paramount, warning that any breach of protocol would be met with strict action.
Zone 6 of Ranthambore is among the most sensitive stretches of the park. It is home not only to Royal Bengal tigers but also to leopards, sloth bears, marsh crocodiles, jackals, foxes, and venomous snakes such as cobras and kraits.
Abandoning tourists in such an environment, especially after dark, constitutes a grave violation of safety norms and has highlighted the urgent need for stricter regulation of safari operations.
Mukesh Meena, an independent guide and driver at Ranthambore, confirmed the notoriety of Zone 6, noting that it is one of the few zones that remains open during the monsoon season.
Addressing the case in question, he said “it could have been a fault in the canter; the driver may have gone to the gate to get another one from the waiting canters parked there,” Meena said. He added that the delay was explained to him as being due to traffic in the city. “It is understandable that it would take some time if the city is under traffic,” he remarked.
“There are never substitute canters inside the jungle; they are only available at the gates,” Meena clarified. While such cases are rare, he admitted they do occur. “When it happens, drivers usually manage to restart the canter. If not, the protocol is to text and notify the nearest check post, which then relays the emergency further,” he said. Meena speculated that the check post might have been farther away than the gate, which could explain why guide Mukesh Kumar Bairwa left the tourists behind.
Although it is strictly prohibited to get off the vehicle inside the jungle, Meena noted that exceptions are made in cases of breakdowns, poor reception, or distant check posts, allowing the driver to leave the vehicle to seek help.
Nevertheless, even with strict rules and regulations in place, the case brings forth how an evening of wildlife adventure turned into a chilling reminder of the risks associated with safari tourism when protocols are ignored. While authorities have acted promptly with suspensions and a formal probe, the incident underscores the need for greater accountability and robust safety mechanisms to ensure the wellbeing of visitors in India’s most celebrated tiger reserve.
(With inputs from PTI)
