Visitors Inexplicably Stuck in Ranthambore Tiger Sanctuary Due to Canter Malfunction
In the heart of India's wildlife sanctuaries, Ranthambore National Park, an incident occurred on August 16, 2025, that underscores the importance of adhering to safety protocols.
The incident took place in Zone 6, a core tiger habitat, where a safari canter broke down, leaving 20 tourists, including women and children, stranded for over 90 minutes. The guide, Mukesh Kumar Bairwa, assured the group he would fetch a replacement vehicle but did not return for a long time.
The park authorities, prioritising tourist safety, have taken swift action. The guide and three canter drivers were suspended and barred from entering the park pending an investigation. This incident highlights the park's zero-tolerance policy towards negligence, as any breach of protocol will be met with strict action.
The Field Director and Chief Conservator of Forests have reiterated this stance, emphasising that tourist safety is paramount. Assistant Conservator of Forests Ashwini Pratap has been assigned to oversee the investigation.
Ranthambore National Park enforces safety protocols through vehicle checks, guide monitoring, strict rules on conduct during safaris, and punitive actions including barring non-compliant vehicles and personnel. Safari vehicles undergo mandatory mechanical inspection to avoid breakdowns inside the park, and guides are responsible for their tourists' safety, remaining with them throughout the safari.
Vehicles or personnel found negligent can be barred from the park indefinitely. The park manages safari schedules and zones strictly, closing core zones during sensitive times, though this is more detailed in other tiger reserves like Sariska. Visitors are required to have valid boarding passes and must follow specified timings and rules to ensure controlled and safe safari operations.
The notoriety of Zone 6, home to various wildlife species such as Royal Bengal tigers, leopards, sloth bears, marsh crocodiles, jackals, foxes, and venomous snakes like cobras and kraits, makes adherence to these rules even more crucial.
The distressing video recorded by the stranded tourists, showing children crying in fear as they waited in the dark forest, went viral, underscoring the need for greater accountability and robust safety mechanisms in safari tourism at Ranthambore National Park.
When a canter breaks down, drivers are expected to text and notify the nearest check post, which then relays the emergency further. Exceptions are made in cases of breakdowns, poor reception, or distant check posts, allowing the driver to leave the vehicle to seek help. However, in this incident, it appears that these procedures were not followed.
Mukesh Meena, an independent guide and driver at Ranthambore, confirmed the notoriety of Zone 6. He speculated that the delay in the guide's return could be due to traffic in the city or a fault in the canter.
Despite the strict rules and regulations, protocols can be ignored, leading to incidents like the one in question. The case brings forth the risks associated with wildlife adventure tours when safety norms are violated.
In a positive development, the tourists were rescued around 7:30 pm, but another canter dispatched to rescue them reportedly lacked proper headlights, raising safety concerns. The park authorities are now working diligently to address these issues and ensure the safety of all visitors.
