Bengaluru, March 13 -- "Human lives come first, tourism later," said Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre yesterday while defending the State Government's decision to temporarily suspend safari operations in Bandipur National Park and Nagarahole National Park between Nov. 7, 2025 and Feb. 21, 2026, following a series of tiger attacks in forest-fringe areas.

Responding to concerns over the halt in safari activities, Khandre said the State Government could not prioritise tourism when human lives were at risk. He noted that three people had died in tiger attacks within a span of about 15 days in villages bordering the forests, while another victim had suffered permanent disability.

Khandre said the decision to suspen...