R S Tejus @ Bandipur:
Confusion, chaos reigned in Bandipur Range on Saturday with a forest watcher killed in a tiger attack. This is the fourth person including three farmers who have been killed in the recent tiger attacks (October-December 2025) in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
Sanna Haida, serving in the Bandipur Range was killed at 12.30 pm today while on duty inside the Bandipur Tiger Reserve. This is a tragic incident marking yet another precious loss of a frontline staff member in one of India’s most important tiger landscapes.
55-year-old Sanna Haida died during routine forest patrolling, underscoring the severe occupational hazards faced by Karnataka Forest Department’s frontline forest staff daily when working deep inside protected areas. The terrible incident has sent shockwaves through the conservation circles and forest staff community, already stretched by increasing pressure on tiger landscapes in Karnataka due to rising human-wildlife conflicts.
According to preliminary information, the attack occurred while the forest watchers were carrying out their regular field duties when a tiger suddenly emerged from dense vegetation. The encounter was sudden, leaving little scope for response, and Sanna Haida succumbed to his injuries.
Bandipur forest officials have stated that the exact reasons and circumstances leading to the incident are yet to be established, and a detailed investigation is underway. Authorities have cautioned against speculation until field assessments, movement patterns, and site conditions are fully examined.
Speaking to Green Minute News, Prabhakaran, Chief Conservator of Forests and Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, described the incident as unfortunate. The Bandipur Director added, “Sanna Haida was one of the forest department’s most committed and reliable watchers. He was an experienced field hand with a deep knowledge of the forest and a strong sense of duty wherein such attributes are indispensable in tiger landscapes like Bandipur.”
The incident once again highlights the extremely demanding nature of forest protection work in tiger reserves. Forest watchers and frontline staff operate in dense forests, often on foot, facing wildlife presence, rough terrain, long hours, and unpredictable situations. Their role is critical to wildlife conservation, anti-poaching efforts, habitat protection, and human–wildlife conflict management.
Naveen, ACF Bandipur Sub-Division said, “The death of Sanna Haida is a very unfortunate incident. It is a rare incident.”
However, it is also to be noted that under no circumstances the tiger should be branded as a man eater or anything else. The reason for attack is yet to be known. And it is also very rare wherein an experienced and dedicated forest staff has lost his life during patroling duty in a tiger landscape.
The death of Sanna Haida is a stark reminder of the human cost behind tiger conservation success and the urgent need for stronger institutional support, and recognition for those guarding India’s forests at the ground level.