Two brothers, fishermen in the Sundarbans, survived tiger attacks within the span of a few days.

Sanuram Bhakta, 40, was attacked on January 28 in the Kalas forest range of the South 24-Parganas forest division. The forest is named after Kalas island, located at the confluence of the Matla and Thakuran rivers.

“I had gone to catch crabs with eight others and taken our boats into the narrow creeks. We got down on the bank of an island and were laying baits for the crabs,” said Sanuram. “Around 11am, I saw a tiger running towards us. Before I could react, it pounced on me, biting my ribs and grabbing my right arm, trying to drag me into the forest.”

The others with him fought off the tiger with sticks and tree branches. “Some of the blows fell on me too. They were also shouting,” Sanuram recounted. The tiger fled, leaving him bleeding.

He was taken to a local health centre and then transferred to Kakdwip Superspeciality Hospital. “My rib bones had come out. Doctors made stitches and said I will need surgery after the wound heals,” he said.

A week later, on February 4, his brother Banu, 37, was attacked in a different creek of the same forest while laying bait for crabs. “The tiger stood on two legs and struck my right hand with its paw. It also bit me on the arm,” said Banu.

Three other fishermen with him on the bank fought off the tiger by pulling its fur and hitting it. “I thought I would die,” he said. The tiger tried to drag Banu away, but his friends did not let go. “The tiger then left me and retreated into the forest.”

Banu was carried to the boat and taken to a hospital.

Both brothers have been fishing in the forests for many years and had seen tigers on several occasions, but this was the first time either was attacked — and it happened within one week.

“My brother and I have seen tigers crossing rivers and running into forests, but they had never attacked us before,” said Banu.

Forest department officials said the brothers did not have boat licence certificates and had entered core forest areas where fishing is prohibited.

“However, it is the responsibility of the forest department to prevent fishermen from entering core areas illegally. They also need alternative income sources,” said Mithun Mondal, assistant secretary of the Association for the Protection of Democratic Rights, South 24-Parganas.

“The forest department should ensure that fishermen are not forced to leave the Sundarbans due to lack of income,” he said.

Mondal said five fishermen have been attacked by tigers in 2026, two of whom died.

“We are trying to help the two brothers get medicines and treatment free of cost,” said Banadevi Singha of Pather Pathik, an NGO working with tiger and crocodile victims in the Sundarbans.