Smart tiger figures out his escape route

On a recent Monday afternoon just as Pawan was preparing to leave Delhi for Brahmapuri (the Tiger Reserve where we will be installing 5 solar powered water pumps for the Tiger conservation project), the District Forest Officer, Dipesh Malhotra, called Pawan to inform him that he had an emergency on his hands with a Tiger in the village well. He also informed him that it may affect our planned schedule.  The well was around 20 feet deep. Over the next 2 hours Dipesh (an engineering graduate), Pawan and a  vet  discussed strategies about getting the Tiger by phone calls. That is, to get the tiger out alive using sedation, trucks, ropes, winches and hammocks made from tennis nets etc. In the meantime, the more pragmatic villagers tied up 3 charpoys (a bed frame with rope webbing), end to end with strong ropes and lowered this contraption into the well at an angle leaning against the wall. The usual crowd of spectators was dispersed and the Forest rangers took shelter in their Jeeps. After some hesitation, the tiring but smart tiger figured out his escape route, clambered over the charpoys and leapt to his freedom.

Quick lateral thinking and problem solving by a few villagers overcame the technology focused solution considered by the technologists!! And another Tiger survives the entrapment of our expanding population. At least for now!!