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http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/13/stories/2009031353270200.htm

When the nawab took on the tigress

J.S. Ifthekhar

Shafath Ali Khan was asked to track down the animal on prowl in Faizabad

PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Daring act: Nawab Shafath Ali Khan who shot the man-eater in Faizabad. (Right). The tigress that was killed. —

Hyderabad: The vulture is a patient bird. But he beat the predator at its own game. Spending 35 days and nights tracking your prey is not easy. But he exhibited exemplary staying power and nerves of steel when the chips were down. Ultimately, what won him the day was raw courage and presence of mind – nothing else.

Nawab Shafath Ali Khan differs from the stereotype image of a laid-back nawab. On the contrary, he has quick reflexes, an agile body and a never-say-die spirit. No wonder he succeeded in outwitting the man-eater in the forests of Faizabad on the evening of February 24.

The telephone never stops ringing at his Ali Villa in Red Hills, even a fortnight after the ‘operation tiger’. No, the congratulatory messages have not put him on cloud nine. On the contrary, he feels sorry for shooting down the beautiful tigress. “I am saddened that I failed in caging or tranquilising it,” Mr. Khan sighs.A professional to the core, it was not his first kill. So far the Hyderabadi nawab has killed three man-eaters in Madhya Pradesh and five rogue elephants in Assam, Karnataka and Meghalaya. But the earlier experiences were nothing compared to the present one.

The Faizabad operation required all his tracking experience, knowledge of reading pug marks, understanding of flora and fauna and mostly importantly, the precision in shooting.

Mr. Khan rushed to Faizabad on an SOS call from the UP government. Interestingly, it was the first time that the government permitted engaging the services of a professional hunter to track down the man-eater. The tigress had claimed five lives and mauled 35 persons – sending panic waves among the locals.

Mr. Khan took charge of ‘operation tiger’ on January 20 and for the next 35 days it was a game of wait and watch. Trained elephants were also used to stalk the tigress.

But the latter gave the slip every time they thought they were closing on it. However, nawab sahib, as he is called, bided his time.

On that fateful day, the man-eater claimed its last victim - a cow. Sure that it would come to finish it off, Mr. Khan settled on a ‘machan’ atop a tree - his .458 Winchester Magnum rifle positioned.

Soon he was face-to-face with his target. There were four bullets in all – three in the magazine and one in the chamber.

The tigress crouched some 30 yards away from the cow carcass, perhaps sensing danger. Khan signalled Kamal, a Lucknow zoo hand, to put on the torch light.

As the beam fell on the tigress, it charged and in the breath-held silence, the first shot rang out. It caught the tigress between the left shoulder and neck. The animal fell, rolled over and let out a roar.

The second shot also caught the beast on shoulder. Bleeding profusely, it continued to charge. Now it was almost beneath the ‘machan’. With death staring in his face, Mr. Khan fired the killing shot on the forehead. It all happened in spastic seconds. “I shudder to recall the final moments when the eyes of the tigress shone like bulbs,” he says.

Wasn’t he scared? “I will be lying if I say no,” remarks Mr. Khan.

Sure, courage is not absence of fear. It is mastery of fear.