June 19, 2026

2026

Thousands join funeral prayers for Zia

Thousands join funeral prayers for Zia

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Sea of mourners at Zia’s funeral DHAKA: Former Bangladesh PM and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was laid to rest with full state honours beside her husband and former President Ziaur Rahman here on Wednesday, as hundreds of thousands of people bid an emotional farewell to the three-time PM.External affairs minister S Jaishankar, among the foreign…

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File photo NEW DELHI: Getting into the Yuletide spirit could prove expensive for an Air India pilot who was to operate a Vancouver-Delhi (via Vienna) flight on Dec 23, 2025. A staffer at Vancouver duty free either saw him inadvertently sipping wine being offered at this festive time or found him smelling of liquor while he was buying a bottle. She reported this Boeing 777 pilot to the Canadian authorities who conducted a breath analyser test on him which he flunked and then he was detained. Luckily for passengers, Air India managed to quickly find a replacement. The ultra long haul, to be operated by four pilots or two sets (one captain and a co-pilot in each set) in turns, supposed to leave at 3 pm local time did so with just a two-hour delay. The aircraft then landed in Vienna from where another set of crew operated it to Delhi.“AI has taken a very stern view of this matter. The pilot was flown to Delhi a couple of days later and is being probed. The issue has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which is also examining the same,” said people in the know. While some sources say the pilot had inadvertently sipped an alcoholic drink at the airport and a staffer at duty free saw him doing so, others said he smelled of alcohol when buying a bottle. It is not yet known which of the two really happened, staffer reported the matter to Canadian authorities who then used CCTV footage to find out the pilot in question was to operate with flight. They managed to trace him to the AI aircraft.In a statement, AI said: “AI 186 from Vancouver to Delhi on Dec 23, 2025, experienced a last-minute delay after one of the cockpit crew members was offloaded prior to departure. Canadian authorities raised concerns regarding the pilot’s fitness for duty, following which the crew member was taken for further inquiry. In accordance with safety protocols, an alternate pilot was rostered to operate the flight, resulting in the delay.””Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers and is fully cooperating with the local authorities. The pilot has been taken off flying duties during the process of enquiry. Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of applicable rules and regulations. Pending the outcome of the investigation, any confirmed violation will attract strict disciplinary action in line with company policy. Safety remains Air India’s highest priority at all times,” the airline statement added.Pilots operating international sectors usually do not have pre-flight breath analyser (BA) tests and the same is conducted on arrival as liquor is available on board these flights. This is to ensure they have not taken a sip or two during the flight. On domestic flights, pre-flights BA tests are conducted as alcohol is not served/sold on flights within India. While rules don’t mandate this, AI on its own has enforced a policy of conducting random pre-flight BA at international stations. The airline frequently keeps sending its doctors on international flights who then conduct these checks on pilots who are to operate the return flight to India. Pilots are surprised at this case. “Forget drinking, we don’t even use after shaves, perfumes, mouth wash or homeopathic medicines some hours before operating a flight. There have been multiple instances of teetotallers failing BA tests because of the alcohol in their breath because of using toiletries with alcoholic content. We look for these items without any alcohol, except homeopathic medicines where possibly there’s no option,” said a captain. The reason: Failing BA test thrice means losing flying license.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123PhotostoriesFrom boardrooms to weddings: 5 global luxury brands Indian men are wearing right nowWhat 2025 taught us about health: The biggest lessons of the year10 best New Year traditions to celebrate the start of 2026Food poisoning vs. gastrointestinal infection: What’s the difference?10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winter123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

File photo NEW DELHI: Getting into the Yuletide spirit could prove expensive for an Air India pilot who was to operate a Vancouver-Delhi (via Vienna) flight on Dec 23, 2025. A staffer at Vancouver duty free either saw him inadvertently sipping wine being offered at this festive time or found him smelling of liquor while he was buying a bottle. She reported this Boeing 777 pilot to the Canadian authorities who conducted a breath analyser test on him which he flunked and then he was detained. Luckily for passengers, Air India managed to quickly find a replacement. The ultra long haul, to be operated by four pilots or two sets (one captain and a co-pilot in each set) in turns, supposed to leave at 3 pm local time did so with just a two-hour delay. The aircraft then landed in Vienna from where another set of crew operated it to Delhi.“AI has taken a very stern view of this matter. The pilot was flown to Delhi a couple of days later and is being probed. The issue has been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which is also examining the same,” said people in the know. While some sources say the pilot had inadvertently sipped an alcoholic drink at the airport and a staffer at duty free saw him doing so, others said he smelled of alcohol when buying a bottle. It is not yet known which of the two really happened, staffer reported the matter to Canadian authorities who then used CCTV footage to find out the pilot in question was to operate with flight. They managed to trace him to the AI aircraft.In a statement, AI said: “AI 186 from Vancouver to Delhi on Dec 23, 2025, experienced a last-minute delay after one of the cockpit crew members was offloaded prior to departure. Canadian authorities raised concerns regarding the pilot’s fitness for duty, following which the crew member was taken for further inquiry. In accordance with safety protocols, an alternate pilot was rostered to operate the flight, resulting in the delay.””Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to its passengers and is fully cooperating with the local authorities. The pilot has been taken off flying duties during the process of enquiry. Air India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any violation of applicable rules and regulations. Pending the outcome of the investigation, any confirmed violation will attract strict disciplinary action in line with company policy. Safety remains Air India’s highest priority at all times,” the airline statement added.Pilots operating international sectors usually do not have pre-flight breath analyser (BA) tests and the same is conducted on arrival as liquor is available on board these flights. This is to ensure they have not taken a sip or two during the flight. On domestic flights, pre-flights BA tests are conducted as alcohol is not served/sold on flights within India. While rules don’t mandate this, AI on its own has enforced a policy of conducting random pre-flight BA at international stations. The airline frequently keeps sending its doctors on international flights who then conduct these checks on pilots who are to operate the return flight to India. Pilots are surprised at this case. “Forget drinking, we don’t even use after shaves, perfumes, mouth wash or homeopathic medicines some hours before operating a flight. There have been multiple instances of teetotallers failing BA tests because of the alcohol in their breath because of using toiletries with alcoholic content. We look for these items without any alcohol, except homeopathic medicines where possibly there’s no option,” said a captain. The reason: Failing BA test thrice means losing flying license.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123PhotostoriesFrom boardrooms to weddings: 5 global luxury brands Indian men are wearing right nowWhat 2025 taught us about health: The biggest lessons of the year10 best New Year traditions to celebrate the start of 2026Food poisoning vs. gastrointestinal infection: What’s the difference?10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winter123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

Vamsikrishna04 mins mins

NEW DELHI: Getting into the Yuletide spirit could prove expensive for an Air India pilot who was to operate a Vancouver-Delhi (via Vienna) flight on Dec 23, 2025. A staffer at Vancouver duty free either saw him inadvertently sipping wine being offered at this festive time or found him smelling of liquor while he was…

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‘Avatar Fire and Ash’ box office collection day 13: James Cameron’s sci-fi epic goes beyond Rs 150 crore amidst ‘Dhurandhar’ fever

‘Avatar Fire and Ash’ box office collection day 13: James Cameron’s sci-fi epic goes beyond Rs 150 crore amidst ‘Dhurandhar’ fever

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

In India, James Cameron’s ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ is cruising steadily at the box office with collecting THIS amount so far. While the buzz was palpable, it hasn’t eclipsed the impressive run of ‘Dhurandhar’. On the global stage, this sci-fi masterpiece is tantalizingly close to the USD 1 billion mark, thanks to robust support from…

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From memes to movements: How 2025 became the year of political awakening for Gen Z

From memes to movements: How 2025 became the year of political awakening for Gen Z

Vamsikrishna011 mins mins

How 2025 became the year of political awakening for Gen Z It was all brewing in quiet frustration before it turned into a full-blown “we’re done” moment. Across the world in 2025, Generation Z, popularly called Gen Z, stopped doom-scrolling and decided to “touch grass”, politically. What began as side-eyeing governments for being “pompous in…

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Bangladesh health adviser resigns from Yunus-led interim govt; second official to exit in a week

Bangladesh health adviser resigns from Yunus-led interim govt; second official to exit in a week

Vamsikrishna01 mins mins

Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus Bangladesh’s special assistant to the chief adviser for the health ministry, Sayedur Rahman, has resigned, becoming the second senior official to exit the Muhammad Yunus-led interim govt within a week….

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Madhya Pradesh HC BHOPAL/JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh high court has refused to interfere with the judgment of a Pocso court in Narmadapuram district awarding 20 years of rigorous imprisonment to a person accused of having sexual relationship with a 17-year-old, whom he married later. The couple now has a child.A division bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and R K Choubey said the consent of a minor to a sexual relationship was immaterial, and a decision to suspend the sentence of a person convicted for rape under the Pocso Act could be taken only by Supreme Court exercising its power under Article 142 of the Constitution.Earlier, counsel for the appellant contended that coordinate benches granted relief of suspension of sentence even in the case of a 14-year-old girl, whereas in the present case, the age of the survivor was 17 and she was a consenting partner. Heartbreak, divorce & deadly crimes | Dark Truth Of Failed Marriages | Ft. Anand Handa The bench, however, stated that it was a “prerogative of the Supreme Court to take a call by exercising its authority under Article 142”.According to the prosecution’s case, on June 1, 2023, the rape survivor lodged a police complaint in Itarsi stating that she used to visit her grandmother and became acquainted with the appellant on one such visit. On Feb 14, 2023, he invited her to lunch at his house. There, he raped her and threatened to kill her if she disclosed it to anyone, she alleged, adding he blackmailed and raped her on three more occasions. The accused married the survivor when he came out on bail during the trial.The appellant’s counsel pleaded for leniency saying a son was born out of wedlock, and the survivor would be left to take care of him alone. The court, however, said since it was established that the survivor was a minor at the time, the accused could not be absolved of the charge.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123PhotostoriesFrom boardrooms to weddings: 5 global luxury brands Indian men are wearing right nowWhat 2025 taught us about health: The biggest lessons of the year10 best New Year traditions to celebrate the start of 2026Food poisoning vs. gastrointestinal infection: What’s the difference?10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winter123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

Madhya Pradesh HC BHOPAL/JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh high court has refused to interfere with the judgment of a Pocso court in Narmadapuram district awarding 20 years of rigorous imprisonment to a person accused of having sexual relationship with a 17-year-old, whom he married later. The couple now has a child.A division bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and R K Choubey said the consent of a minor to a sexual relationship was immaterial, and a decision to suspend the sentence of a person convicted for rape under the Pocso Act could be taken only by Supreme Court exercising its power under Article 142 of the Constitution.Earlier, counsel for the appellant contended that coordinate benches granted relief of suspension of sentence even in the case of a 14-year-old girl, whereas in the present case, the age of the survivor was 17 and she was a consenting partner. Heartbreak, divorce & deadly crimes | Dark Truth Of Failed Marriages | Ft. Anand Handa The bench, however, stated that it was a “prerogative of the Supreme Court to take a call by exercising its authority under Article 142”.According to the prosecution’s case, on June 1, 2023, the rape survivor lodged a police complaint in Itarsi stating that she used to visit her grandmother and became acquainted with the appellant on one such visit. On Feb 14, 2023, he invited her to lunch at his house. There, he raped her and threatened to kill her if she disclosed it to anyone, she alleged, adding he blackmailed and raped her on three more occasions. The accused married the survivor when he came out on bail during the trial.The appellant’s counsel pleaded for leniency saying a son was born out of wedlock, and the survivor would be left to take care of him alone. The court, however, said since it was established that the survivor was a minor at the time, the accused could not be absolved of the charge.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123PhotostoriesFrom boardrooms to weddings: 5 global luxury brands Indian men are wearing right nowWhat 2025 taught us about health: The biggest lessons of the year10 best New Year traditions to celebrate the start of 2026Food poisoning vs. gastrointestinal infection: What’s the difference?10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winter123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

BHOPAL/JABALPUR: The Madhya Pradesh high court has refused to interfere with the judgment of a Pocso court in Narmadapuram district awarding 20 years of rigorous imprisonment to a person accused of having sexual relationship with a 17-year-old, whom he married later. The couple now has a child.A division bench of Justices Vivek Agarwal and R…

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Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for January 1, 2026 – check list

Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for January 1, 2026 – check list

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins

Top stocks to buy (AI image) Top stock market recommendations: According to Aakash K Hindocha, Deputy Vice President – WM Research, Nuvama Professional Clients Group, the top buy calls for today are: Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC), Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Here’s his view on Nifty, Bank Nifty, and…

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Zack Wheeler and Dominique Wheeler combined net worth in 2025: A closer look at the Philadelphia Phillies star’s earnings, salary, family life and more

Zack Wheeler and Dominique Wheeler combined net worth in 2025: A closer look at the Philadelphia Phillies star’s earnings, salary, family life and more

Vamsikrishna03 mins mins

Zack and Dominique Wheeler with their children (Image via: IG/X) With Major League Baseball still rewarding the same old values of longevity and consistency, few pitchers would be a better representation of that trend than Zack Wheeler. In 2025, Wheeler is a regular starter in the Philadelphia Phillies community but also one of the most…

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A tigress with her cub In early 2025, a motion-sensor camera high on the hills of Purulia district, West Bengal, blinked to life. The image it captured was unremarkable in isolation: the grainy silhouette of a tiger crossing scrubland. But for residents and forest officials, it was extraordinary. Purulia had never yielded a tiger sighting before. No camera traps, no spoor, no local memory of the big cat. The photograph was more than a record; it was a signal – that the landscape had begun to shift in ways people were only beginning to comprehend. Within weeks, researchers traced the animal’s path through a series of camera traps: March 2024 in Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur forest division; summer sightings in Jharkhand’s Palamau Tiger Reserve; and by January 2025, in Bengal’s Purulia and Jhargram. The tiger had wandered roughly 500 km through human-dominated terrain, crossing administrative and ecological boundaries in search of space. The tiger’s journey is not an anomaly. It is part of a pattern. India’s wild tiger population, once on the brink of collapse, has surged from 1,411 in 2006 to approximately 3,682 in the latest estimate – almost 75% of the world’s wild tiger population. This rebound, often hailed as a conservation landmark, is the centrepiece of Project Tiger’s story. Conservationists and forest staff took pride in the numbers, even as they now grapple with the consequences of unprecedented success. Scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimate that nearly 30% of these 3,682 tigers – more than 1,100 animals – now roam outside notified tiger reserves, sharpening the challenge of coexistence. WII director GS Bhardwaj told TOI that a dedicated Tiger Outside Tiger Reserves (TOTR) project has already been initiated from 2025, with the focus on conserving both tigers and people. The project targets forest divisions that host dispersing tigers, aims to mitigate human-tiger conflict linked to TOTR, and envisages strengthening protection regimes beyond reserve boundaries.Testing human toleranceBut there is a paradox embedded in that success: Project Tiger became “a little too successful”, as an expert said. As core reserves fill, tigers disperse farther – into buffers, across states and into human landscapes, fuelled by instinct, not intention. Tigers are inherently territorial; adults typically range across tens to hundreds of square km depending on prey and habitat. Studies in Indian landscapes have shown female home ranges between 30 and 64 sq km, with males sometimes exceeding 170 sq km. The average, even in prey-rich forests, often approaches 90 sq km. Bhardwaj said WII has advised all states to strengthen wildlife protection outside tiger reserves and carry out intensive monitoring of tigers moving beyond them, so that encounters do not escalate into human casualties or retaliatory killings. In the central Indian landscape – the broad swath of forests, hills and plateaus that includes Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and surrounding states – pressure is particularly acute. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, for instance, has one of the highest tiger densities in the country. A state-level review found territorial fights to be a major cause of death among tigers there between 2021 and 2023, reflecting intense competition for space and mates. With older males holding core territories, younger animals are pushed into buffer zones and near villages, raising the frequency of conflict. Bandhavgarh registers more than 2,000 cattle kills annually – a stark indicator of how tigers are pressed against the edges of ecological and social boundaries. Not all reserves exhibit the same degree of crowding though. In Uttarakhand, Corbett and Rajaji tiger reserves are approaching saturation, but nearly half of India’s reserves remain below what scientists describe as their ecological capacity. Forest officials in the state have reported that Corbett can support about 20 tigers per 100 sq km, while eastern Rajaji’s capacity is around 14 per 100 sq km – figures that help explain why animals increasingly stray outside protected areas. As tigers move beyond core forests, their presence ripples through local communities in palpable ways. In early 2025, in several villages in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit region, a prowling tiger caused schools to be closed. Children stayed home. “Exams are coming,” said a Class 5 student from Khalispur had then said, “but we haven’t even completed the syllabus.” Teachers refused to hold evening sessions. Parents stopped letting children walk alone. Tigers in Pilibhit often establish temporary bases in sugarcane fields, drawn by wild boars that feed on the sweet crop. Boars attract tigers. Sugarcane draws both. And between them lies the village. Elsewhere, the consequences have turned fatal. In Gadchiroli district of eastern Maharashtra, tiger numbers grew from zero to nearly 30 in five years – a startling shift in a landscape long considered tiger-scarce. With 12,000 sq km of forest, it appears generous on paper. But in practice, only about 7,000 sq km in two forest divisions is occupied. Human settlements, encroachments, and patchy prey base have constrained the actual carrying capacity. In 2024, 25 villagers died in tiger attacks across the Wadsa and Gadchiroli divisions. Two problem tigers were captured. A tigress was spared because she had cubs. Though technically capable of holding far more – by some estimates, up to 300 tigers – Gadchiroli cannot even accommodate 25 without triggering conflict. In one forest-fringe home in Jharkhand, a tiger entered a family’s hut, settled on a wooden cot, and waited. The family, stunned, watched in silence from a corner of the room. The tiger had wandered far from mapped territory. Its entry was a mistake. Its departure, hours later, was quiet. Nobody was hurt. The event became a story of awe and fear. These tigers are no longer sentinels of wilderness. They are migrants. Monarchs in exile. Each one a ghost of ecological success, walking into fields, hamlets and homes – not out of aggression, but because the forests behind them are full. In some landscapes, officials speak of “social carrying capacity” – not how many tigers the habitat can sustain, but how many human communities are willing to tolerate. In parts of Uttarakhand, tiger-inflicted fatalities have surpassed leopard attacks for the first time in years. In response, village volunteers called Bagh Mitras have been trained to monitor tiger movement and alert forest departments. Some report sightings through mobile apps. Others simply listen for silence – the kind that descends before a tiger appears. Translocation – moving tigers from dense parks to underpopulated reserves – has been tried. Odisha attempted it in 2018, without success. Intra-state efforts show more promise, but officials now lean toward corridor consolidation. Movement is safer when it’s natural. But for that, corridors must exist – not just on policy maps, but on the ground. In the Terai Arc, at least 10 critical corridors are under threat from habitat loss and development. In central India, linear infrastructure – railways, highways, power lines – cuts across migration routes. And yet, some reserves offer hope. In Tadoba, tiger density rose 30% over a decade, with buffer populations expanding as prey base improved. In Sundarbans, the reserve is being expanded by more than 1,000 sq km to create space for 101 tigers now crowding its mangrove heartland. India now has more than 50 tiger reserves. Some are full. Others still hold ecological potential, if prey can be restored. The key lies not just in creating new habitat, but in connecting the old – allowing dispersing tigers to move without triggering conflict. Perhaps the tiger today is not just an emblem of wilderness, but a kind of refugee of success – displaced by recovery. The Purulia tiger’s trek is both a biometric trail and a metaphor. It is the story of a tiger with nowhere to go, walking east until the land gave way to politics and fear. In the empty classrooms of Pilibhit, in the living room of a Jharkhand family, in the cattle sheds of Bandhavgarh, and in the forests of Gadchiroli now marked by claw and memory, India’s national animal is no longer confined to the forest. The tiger has returned. The question is – where can it stay?End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123PhotostoriesFrom boardrooms to weddings: 5 global luxury brands Indian men are wearing right nowWhat 2025 taught us about health: The biggest lessons of the year10 best New Year traditions to celebrate the start of 2026Food poisoning vs. gastrointestinal infection: What’s the difference?10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winter123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

A tigress with her cub In early 2025, a motion-sensor camera high on the hills of Purulia district, West Bengal, blinked to life. The image it captured was unremarkable in isolation: the grainy silhouette of a tiger crossing scrubland. But for residents and forest officials, it was extraordinary. Purulia had never yielded a tiger sighting before. No camera traps, no spoor, no local memory of the big cat. The photograph was more than a record; it was a signal – that the landscape had begun to shift in ways people were only beginning to comprehend. Within weeks, researchers traced the animal’s path through a series of camera traps: March 2024 in Chhattisgarh’s Balrampur forest division; summer sightings in Jharkhand’s Palamau Tiger Reserve; and by January 2025, in Bengal’s Purulia and Jhargram. The tiger had wandered roughly 500 km through human-dominated terrain, crossing administrative and ecological boundaries in search of space. The tiger’s journey is not an anomaly. It is part of a pattern. India’s wild tiger population, once on the brink of collapse, has surged from 1,411 in 2006 to approximately 3,682 in the latest estimate – almost 75% of the world’s wild tiger population. This rebound, often hailed as a conservation landmark, is the centrepiece of Project Tiger’s story. Conservationists and forest staff took pride in the numbers, even as they now grapple with the consequences of unprecedented success. Scientists at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimate that nearly 30% of these 3,682 tigers – more than 1,100 animals – now roam outside notified tiger reserves, sharpening the challenge of coexistence. WII director GS Bhardwaj told TOI that a dedicated Tiger Outside Tiger Reserves (TOTR) project has already been initiated from 2025, with the focus on conserving both tigers and people. The project targets forest divisions that host dispersing tigers, aims to mitigate human-tiger conflict linked to TOTR, and envisages strengthening protection regimes beyond reserve boundaries.Testing human toleranceBut there is a paradox embedded in that success: Project Tiger became “a little too successful”, as an expert said. As core reserves fill, tigers disperse farther – into buffers, across states and into human landscapes, fuelled by instinct, not intention. Tigers are inherently territorial; adults typically range across tens to hundreds of square km depending on prey and habitat. Studies in Indian landscapes have shown female home ranges between 30 and 64 sq km, with males sometimes exceeding 170 sq km. The average, even in prey-rich forests, often approaches 90 sq km. Bhardwaj said WII has advised all states to strengthen wildlife protection outside tiger reserves and carry out intensive monitoring of tigers moving beyond them, so that encounters do not escalate into human casualties or retaliatory killings. In the central Indian landscape – the broad swath of forests, hills and plateaus that includes Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and surrounding states – pressure is particularly acute. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, for instance, has one of the highest tiger densities in the country. A state-level review found territorial fights to be a major cause of death among tigers there between 2021 and 2023, reflecting intense competition for space and mates. With older males holding core territories, younger animals are pushed into buffer zones and near villages, raising the frequency of conflict. Bandhavgarh registers more than 2,000 cattle kills annually – a stark indicator of how tigers are pressed against the edges of ecological and social boundaries. Not all reserves exhibit the same degree of crowding though. In Uttarakhand, Corbett and Rajaji tiger reserves are approaching saturation, but nearly half of India’s reserves remain below what scientists describe as their ecological capacity. Forest officials in the state have reported that Corbett can support about 20 tigers per 100 sq km, while eastern Rajaji’s capacity is around 14 per 100 sq km – figures that help explain why animals increasingly stray outside protected areas. As tigers move beyond core forests, their presence ripples through local communities in palpable ways. In early 2025, in several villages in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit region, a prowling tiger caused schools to be closed. Children stayed home. “Exams are coming,” said a Class 5 student from Khalispur had then said, “but we haven’t even completed the syllabus.” Teachers refused to hold evening sessions. Parents stopped letting children walk alone. Tigers in Pilibhit often establish temporary bases in sugarcane fields, drawn by wild boars that feed on the sweet crop. Boars attract tigers. Sugarcane draws both. And between them lies the village. Elsewhere, the consequences have turned fatal. In Gadchiroli district of eastern Maharashtra, tiger numbers grew from zero to nearly 30 in five years – a startling shift in a landscape long considered tiger-scarce. With 12,000 sq km of forest, it appears generous on paper. But in practice, only about 7,000 sq km in two forest divisions is occupied. Human settlements, encroachments, and patchy prey base have constrained the actual carrying capacity. In 2024, 25 villagers died in tiger attacks across the Wadsa and Gadchiroli divisions. Two problem tigers were captured. A tigress was spared because she had cubs. Though technically capable of holding far more – by some estimates, up to 300 tigers – Gadchiroli cannot even accommodate 25 without triggering conflict. In one forest-fringe home in Jharkhand, a tiger entered a family’s hut, settled on a wooden cot, and waited. The family, stunned, watched in silence from a corner of the room. The tiger had wandered far from mapped territory. Its entry was a mistake. Its departure, hours later, was quiet. Nobody was hurt. The event became a story of awe and fear. These tigers are no longer sentinels of wilderness. They are migrants. Monarchs in exile. Each one a ghost of ecological success, walking into fields, hamlets and homes – not out of aggression, but because the forests behind them are full. In some landscapes, officials speak of “social carrying capacity” – not how many tigers the habitat can sustain, but how many human communities are willing to tolerate. In parts of Uttarakhand, tiger-inflicted fatalities have surpassed leopard attacks for the first time in years. In response, village volunteers called Bagh Mitras have been trained to monitor tiger movement and alert forest departments. Some report sightings through mobile apps. Others simply listen for silence – the kind that descends before a tiger appears. Translocation – moving tigers from dense parks to underpopulated reserves – has been tried. Odisha attempted it in 2018, without success. Intra-state efforts show more promise, but officials now lean toward corridor consolidation. Movement is safer when it’s natural. But for that, corridors must exist – not just on policy maps, but on the ground. In the Terai Arc, at least 10 critical corridors are under threat from habitat loss and development. In central India, linear infrastructure – railways, highways, power lines – cuts across migration routes. And yet, some reserves offer hope. In Tadoba, tiger density rose 30% over a decade, with buffer populations expanding as prey base improved. In Sundarbans, the reserve is being expanded by more than 1,000 sq km to create space for 101 tigers now crowding its mangrove heartland. India now has more than 50 tiger reserves. Some are full. Others still hold ecological potential, if prey can be restored. The key lies not just in creating new habitat, but in connecting the old – allowing dispersing tigers to move without triggering conflict. Perhaps the tiger today is not just an emblem of wilderness, but a kind of refugee of success – displaced by recovery. The Purulia tiger’s trek is both a biometric trail and a metaphor. It is the story of a tiger with nowhere to go, walking east until the land gave way to politics and fear. In the empty classrooms of Pilibhit, in the living room of a Jharkhand family, in the cattle sheds of Bandhavgarh, and in the forests of Gadchiroli now marked by claw and memory, India’s national animal is no longer confined to the forest. The tiger has returned. The question is – where can it stay?End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosKhaleda Zia’s funeral: EAM Jaishankar Hands Over Modi’s Letter To BNP Chief Tarique Rahman In DhakaThrowback 25: Five Indian Weapons That Crushed Terror And Dominated Pakistan in Operation SindoorTerror, Tariffs, Polls: PM Modi’s Mic-Drop Moments That Set The Agenda In 2025Top Moments Of 2025 When Indian Diplomats Took On Pakistan, Tore Apart Lies & Hypocrisy At UNThrowback 2025: Five Big Moments When India Defied Pressure And Delivered Diplomatic MasterstrokesAyodhya Faced Conspiracies But Sanatan Prevailed, UP CM Yogi Adityanath Says At Ram Temple EventIndia’s Backyard In Flux: Nepal’s Gen Z Revolt To Pakistan’s Court Chaos Shakes South Asia In 2025Army Trains Village Defence Guards In J&K In Automatic Rifles, Self-Defence | WatchLeT Deputy Saifullah Kasuri Admits India Hit Terror Camps, Threatens Kashmir After Op Sindoor StrikeTwist in Osman Hadi Murder Case: Prime Accused Blames Jamaat From Dubai, Clears India’s Role123PhotostoriesFrom boardrooms to weddings: 5 global luxury brands Indian men are wearing right nowWhat 2025 taught us about health: The biggest lessons of the year10 best New Year traditions to celebrate the start of 2026Food poisoning vs. gastrointestinal infection: What’s the difference?10 South Indian breads that are so soulfulWalking through 2025: The year we put our best foot forwardSkip the crowds in 2026: 10 offbeat destinations in India for New Year travel5 relationship habits to inculcate in 2026 to make it the best year of your lifeFrom soldier to supermodel: 5 looks that made BTS’ V the ultimate fashion muse of 20258 traditional Bengali snacks that are best enjoyed during winter123Hot PicksSaudi Strike YemenPAN-Aadhaar link statusBank holiday New YearGold rate todayIncome Tax RefundBahrain Golden Visa 2025Bank Holidays DecemberTop TrendingJustin Thomas Net WorthWWE Star Nikki BellaCardi BCeeDee Lamb Luxury Car CollectionStefon DiggsCaitlin ClarkTom BradyMicah Parsons vs CeeDee Lamb Net WorthNHL Injury UpdateVanessa Bryant

Vamsikrishna07 mins mins

In early 2025, a motion-sensor camera high on the hills of Purulia district, West Bengal, blinked to life. The image it captured was unremarkable in isolation: the grainy silhouette of a tiger crossing scrubland. But for residents and forest officials, it was extraordinary. Purulia had never yielded a tiger sighting before. No camera traps, no…

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