Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Raja, one of the oldest tigers of India, died at Khairibari Tiger & Leopard Rescue Centre at Jaldapara in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district on Monday. Jaldapara’s Divisional Forest Officer, M. Deepak informed that Raja was 25 years and 10 months old.
Deepak further added that the tiger was brought to the rescue centre in August 2008 after he got injured by a crocodile attack at Sunderbans, the abode of mangrove forestation and Royal Bengal tigers in South 24 Parganas district. Raja was suffering from old-age related ailments for the last few months and died early on Monday following multi-organ failure. The big cat weighed around 140 kg at the time of death.
The Forest Department officials wrapped Raja’s body with flower bouquets and wreaths before cremating it. Alipurduar District Magistrate Surendra Kumar Meena himself arrived at the Khairibari Tiger and Leopard Rescue Centre and paid floral tributes. It is learnt that an initiative has been mooted to construct a memorial within Khairibari Tiger & Leopard Rescue Centre in memory of Raja.
