Tiger/People/Sunderban – a photoessay

Hungry and thirsty tigers are becoming more dangerous in Sunderbans. In this tussle over land, tigers are now attacking people who are entering their forests for crab hunting, fishing and wood. Global Warming has led to an increase in tiger man conflict in the Sunderbans. Due to a 45 cm rise in the water, the salinity levels in Sunderbans have spiked. This has forced the tigers to move towards the village.

As agriculture and fishing become increasingly non viable in the islands due to natural calamities and salt water ingression, a sizeable number of Sunderbans’ farmers have become migrant labourers. For those who could not migrate, the only options are fishing, hunting crabs and collecting honey from the dense mangrove forested area. Recently I visited the Sunderbans, a World Heritage Site that spans 10,000 sq km across the Indo-Bangladesh border

Jayanta Pradhan

Jayanta Pradhan (45) is a resident of Baikunthapur, Maipith in West Bengal. He & his friends went to the river for hunting crabs when he was suddenly attacked. His friends saved his life.

Madhu Dutta

Madhu Dutta was attacked by a tiger in the rice fields at the village Kishorimohonpur in the year 2001.

Lata Jana

Lata Jana, wife of Satyabrata Jana, who went fishing and was killed by a tiger in the year 2011.

Nepal Adok

Nepal Adok (60) went to the forest to collect wood and was attacked from behind. The tiger dragged him into the forest but luckily abandoned him. He, his wife Jamuna Adok & his granddaughter are in the picture. They still hear the roars.

Aminul Molla

Aminul Molla (55) who can not speak properly because of the injury sustained in a tiger attack in the year 2010. He shows the marks on his face & chest.

Sandhya Bhunia

Sandhya Bhunia, mother of Bappa Bhunia, who was 22 years old when he was killed by a tiger. He had been married 8 months prior. His wife Rakhi Bhunia was taken away and forced to marriage again by her family after Bappa’s death. His mother broke down at seeing her son’s picture.

Subal Singh

Subal Singh, father of Prabin Singh, who went crab hunting in the river and was killed by a tiger. Later they found his corpse. His wife Chandana Singh with her two sons Subratab(10) & Sanjay (6).

Khudiram Naskar

Khudiram Naskar (65), crab hunter, another victim of a tiger attack.