Royal Bengal tigress 'Rani' has escaped from Buxa Tiger Reserve in Alipurduar district, northern West Bengal, for the second time in quick succession, Forest Department officials confirmed on Monday, 9 November 2026. The latest breakout occurred less than five days after a high-profile joint operation brought the tigress back from Assam, raising serious questions about enclosure security and the broader tiger relocation programme in north Bengal.

Background: How 'Rani' Arrived at Buxa

The tigress's journey to Buxa began on 27 September, when the three-year-old Royal Bengal tigress was tranquillised at Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve. She was airlifted to Hasimara Air Force Base in Alipurduar on 30 September aboard an IM-17 helicopter of the Indian Air Force. On landing, two wildlife doctors and tiger experts conducted a thorough physical examination lasting more than an hour before she was transported by road to Buxa Tiger Reserve.

The relocation was part of a government initiative to increase the tiger population in north Bengal and establish a sustainable tiger presence in the Buxa forest ecosystem. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav confirmed her release into the jungle on 5 October.

First Escape and Dramatic Retrieval from Assam

Later in October, 'Rani' made her first escape, crossing the Sankosh River to enter Raimona National Park in Assam. Initially, the Forest Department chose not to intervene, treating the movement as natural behaviour. However, concerns mounted over the tigress's proximity to human settlements and the safety of domestic animals.

West Bengal's State Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon personally travelled to Assam to coordinate the retrieval. On 3 November, a joint operation by the West Bengal and Assam Forest Departments in Kokrajhar district corralled the tigress using three elephants. After roughly two hours, she was tranquillised, transported back to Alipurduar in a containment box, and placed in an enclosure — an operation described at the time as a success.

Second Escape: Enclosure Breach on Sunday

The renewed optimism was short-lived. On Sunday afternoon, 'Rani' broke out of the enclosure once more, evading surveillance. A search operation has been launched and a red alert issued across the region. Forest officials have not yet confirmed her current location.

Notably, this is the second escape within weeks, and both incidents have occurred despite significant state and central government involvement — including ministerial-level intervention and air force logistics — underscoring the operational and ecological challenges of the relocation programme.

What Happens Next

Authorities are conducting active searches, and local communities near the reserve have been alerted. Wildlife experts have previously noted that newly relocated tigers often struggle to adapt to unfamiliar territories, making containment especially difficult in the early months. The repeated escapes are likely to prompt a review of the enclosure infrastructure at Buxa and the protocols governing relocated big cats. The long-term viability of the north Bengal tiger repopulation plan now faces its first major credibility test.