9th September

Today the Tiger Protection Force has agreed to investigate the possibility that “ Shaitan” is making his way across North India’s Jungles. Most significantly they have agreed to assign two TPF Rangers to investigate what the Tribune has long believed, that foreign Poachers or local ones have been hunting the tiger. Evidence has come to the fore, that traps have been set all the way from Uttarakhand to Chamba. Witnesses have been interviewed along this trail, who have confirmed that a group of men have been travelling in this direction amongst whom are two Chinese looking men and an African man.

The Tribune feels vindicated. However when the size of the Tiger and the nature of its tracks were again brought uo with the authorities, they pushed aside the posiibility of something supernatural being at work. As promised rather than push aside the beliefs of the local people as mere superstition, I have researched into the supernatural world to see if any explanation, no matter how strange, how bizarre could be applied. After all our past history and religious books are a tapestry of strange and unlikely things we follow and believe blindly. So why not magical cats?

The belief in such cats is most strongest in the Manipur district, Bhutan and Nepal. Indeed it looks like a superstition that has come across the border from China, just like the Poachers. As well as the belief that Tiger bones are a medicine, the Chinese believe magical powers can be attributed to some Tigers who can metamorphise into humans at will. Being killed by a Tiger is sometimes seen as a fated death. The Weretiger’s powers are seen as coming from heaven. This could all come from the fact some Chinese Shamans dressed up as Tigers and that is all there is to it. On our side of the border the belief is that a weretiger is a dangerous Sorcerer, a threat to livestock who may turn to man eating. Our “ Shaitan” seems to have only killed one man to date. Indeed one now wonders whether the death can be attributed to him. Some see it as a hereditary curse or one from a vindictive ghost. One fact is for sure; this Tiger seems far too large in size to be a typical Bengal. There is no arguement with the unusual foot prints. Whatever we choose to believe, one fact is irrefutable. There are men illegally hunting Tigers in India. That is a crime and two Rangers , Gian Singh and Vivik Sharma are on the chase.

I am now near the border between the northern woods of Haryana and Punjab. The amazing thing is how far “ Shaitan” has travelled. If I did not know better I would suspect that he had driven here! There have been consistent sightings of a large van like vehicle several times along the way. The local police and the TPF are also investigating this lead. It is possible it belongs to the hunters. If anyone see a large American style van, please contact the TPF or Police. I will be keeping a close watch now on Gian Singh and Vivek Sharma’s movements.