Royal Bengal tigress sighting: Kokrajhar seals 5-km zone around Assam village
Synopsis
A Royal Bengal tigress reportedly strayed from West Bengal into Assam's Kokrajhar district, prompting the administration to seal a 5-km zone around six villages. With WTI and NTCA teams deployed and a blanket ban on weapons, drones, and social media rumours, the operation highlights the ongoing human-wildlife tension along one of India's most contested forest corridors.
Key Takeaways
Kokrajhar district administration imposed prohibitory restrictions within a 5-km radius of Gelaguri village in Assam on 3 November .
A female Royal Bengal tigress was first spotted on 2 November , reportedly straying from West Bengal .
The order, issued by District Magistrate Pankaj Chakravarty under Section 163 of the BNSS, 2023 , covers six villages .
Gatherings of five or more people , weapons, drones, and disturbance activities are banned within the zone.
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) experts are part of the authorised capture team.
Restrictions remain in force until the Divisional Forest Officer formally declares the operation concluded.
The Kokrajhar district administration in Assam has imposed sweeping prohibitory restrictions within a five-kilometre radius of Gelaguri village after a female Royal Bengal tigress was reportedly spotted straying into the area, allegedly from neighbouring West Bengal, officials said on Tuesday, 3 November. The move is aimed at protecting residents while enabling an uninterrupted capture operation by wildlife authorities.
How the Restrictions Were Imposed
District Magistrate Pankaj Chakravarty issued the prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, citing threats to human life and livestock. The tigress was first reported on 2 November in the forest-fringe areas of Gelaguri village under the Dotma Revenue Circle, following an alert by the Divisional Forest Officer of the Kachugaon Forest Division.
Villages Covered Under the Restricted Zone
The designated restricted zone spans six villages: Gelaguri, East Bongshigaon, West Dangarkhuti, North Bhalukmari, Dangarkhuti, and Ghoramari. Gatherings of five or more people for the purpose of watching or chasing the animal have been explicitly banned. Entry into forest and jungle patches within this perimeter will require prior written permission from the Divisional Forest Officer.
What Is Prohibited Under the Order
The administration has barred carrying firearms, traditional weapons including daos and spears, traps, poison, and snares within the zone. Activities that could disturb or stress the animal — such as bursting firecrackers, beating drums, using loudspeakers, lighting fires, and deploying flashlights to locate the tigress — are also prohibited. Private drone operations and any photography or videography of the capture operation will require prior authorisation from officials.
Notably, the order specifically cautions against the spread of rumours or unverified information on social media, particularly claims describing the tigress as a man-eater or alleging that she has been shot — a sign that misinformation around the incident is already a concern for authorities.
Who Is Authorised to Operate
Exemptions have been granted to authorised forest personnel, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) experts, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) teams, police, and other government units deployed specifically for the operation. Violations of the order will attract prosecution under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
How Long Will the Restrictions Last
The prohibitory order will remain in force until the Divisional Forest Officer formally declares the capture operation concluded. This is not an isolated incident in Assam's forest-fringe districts — Royal Bengal tigers straying from the Buxa Tiger Reserve and adjoining West Bengal forests into Assamese villages have been reported on earlier occasions, underlining the persistent challenge of human-wildlife coexistence along this corridor. Authorities have not yet confirmed the tigress's identity or exact origin, and investigations are ongoing.
Point of View
But the real story is structural: tigers straying along the Buxa-West Bengal-Assam corridor are not anomalies, they are a pattern. Each incident exposes the absence of a permanent, funded buffer-zone protocol that would spare both wildlife and residents the trauma of reactive lockdowns. The explicit ban on social media rumours — particularly claims of a man-eater or a shooting — signals that authorities are as worried about information disorder as about the animal itself, a reminder that wildlife management in the smartphone era is as much a communications challenge as a conservation one.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the Kokrajhar administration imposed restrictions around Gelaguri village?
The Kokrajhar district administration imposed a 5-km prohibitory zone around Gelaguri village after a female Royal Bengal tigress was spotted on 2 November, reportedly straying from West Bengal. The restrictions are designed to protect residents and livestock while allowing an uninterrupted capture operation.
Which villages fall within the restricted zone?
The restricted zone covers six villages: Gelaguri, East Bongshigaon, West Dangarkhuti, North Bhalukmari, Dangarkhuti, and Ghoramari in Kokrajhar district, Assam.
What activities are banned under the order?
The order prohibits gatherings of five or more people to watch or chase the tigress, carrying weapons such as firearms, daos, and spears, bursting firecrackers, using loudspeakers or drums, operating private drones, and spreading unverified social media claims about the animal.
Who is authorised to operate in the restricted zone?
Authorised forest personnel, Wildlife Trust of India experts, National Tiger Conservation Authority teams, police, and other government units deployed for the capture operation are exempt from the restrictions.
How long will the restrictions remain in place?
The prohibitory order will stay in effect until the Divisional Forest Officer formally declares the capture operation concluded. No fixed end date has been announced.
