People v Tigers: Evicted Indian Tribe Camps in Reserve to Reclaim Ancient Lands
theGuardian.org | 22 Aug 2025
Background: The Jenu Kuruba and Nagarhole’s Transformation into a Tiger Reserve
The Jenu Kuruba, traditionally known for gathering forest honey, were forced out of Nagarhole during the 1980s when the region was declared a tiger reserve. They state that this displacement stripped them of their homes, community spaces, and religious sites. With no meaningful rehabilitation, many had few alternatives other than taking low-paid jobs on nearby coffee plantations.
A 2014 report commissioned by the Karnataka state government described the Jenu Kuruba as the “major victims” of displacement in the Nagarhole landscape. The same report also highlighted the existence of “vanished” villages—settlements not documented at the time because of their small population size and remote locations.
Legal Framework: The Forest Rights Act, 2006
The Jenu Kuruba community’s legal claim to the land inside the Nagarhole reserve is based on India’s Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006.
The law recognises that Indigenous groups have:
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the right to live on forest land
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the right to manage and use forest resources
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protection against displacement caused by earlier conservation-oriented policies
For the Jenu Kuruba, the FRA is not merely a policy—it is the legal foundation of their return claim.
The Return: Re-Entering the Forest to Reclaim Ancestral Space
In May, around 150 members of the tribe resolved that they would return to Nagarhole and rebuild shelters, irrespective of how forest reserve officials might respond. Shivu and other Jenu Kuruba campaigners have now been living in the forest for nearly three months, establishing a protest-cum-survival camp.
Their return is a symbolic assertion of their ancestral relationship with the forest—a relationship they argue was unjustly severed.
State Response: Demolition of New Settlements
Authorities, opposing any re-settlement inside the protected Nagarhole conservation zone, entered the reserve on 18 June and tore down six of the shelters built by the community. This action came roughly a month after the tribe had re-established their presence on the land.
The official stand remains focused on wildlife protection and strict no-settlement rules inside tiger reserves.
Evidence of Past Settlements: Satellite Imagery and Historical Presence
The Jenu Kuruba, however, maintain that they possess satellite imagery from 1965 that clearly shows open clearings where their homes, shrines, and community spaces once existed. These areas have since become overgrown following their eviction, but to the tribe, the images serve as proof of long-standing habitation and cultural presence.
Anthropology PYQ's
1. “Examine the impact of Forest Policies from 1878 to 2006 on land alienation and deprivation of rights of tribal communities in India.” (15M/2024)
2. “Explain the impact of development-induced displacement among tribal people in India with examples.” (20M/2020)
3. “Discuss the impact of the Forest Rights Act (2006) on the livelihood and culture of tribal people in India.” (20M/2021)
