SIT Formed To Probe Electrocution Of Tiger And Tigress In Shahdol

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Forest Department has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of a tiger and tigress in North Shahdol, officials said on Tuesday.

The two felines died after coming into contact with an electric fence around agricultural fields. The bodies of a 6-year-old tiger and a 7-year-old tigress were recovered from different fields on Sunday and Monday respectively.

Forest officials have arrested eight villagers in connection with the deaths. The villagers had electrified fencing around their fields, which proved fatal to the two big cats.

Notably, earlier the forest officials believed that one of the big cats had died in territorial fight, however the post mortem report confirmed it too had died of electrocution. 

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) L Krishnamurthy told Free Press that the SIT has been asked to submit its report within a week.

Meanwhile, North Shahdol District Forest Officer Taruna Verma said post-mortem reports confirmed the tiger and tigress died of electrocution. She added that the villagers had tried to hide the bodies behind tall grass to prevent them from coming to the notice of forest guards.

A foul smell alerted forest officials

Foul smell emanating from the decomposed bodies of the two big cats caught the attention of the forest guards. The bodies of the tiger and tigress were around 2-3 days old and were infested with maggots.

BTR elephant squad to trace cubs

The tigress found dead in North Shahdol was a lactating mother. Forest officials spotted pug marks of one cub around the area where the tigress was found dead. However, it is believed that tigress had at least three cubs. Elephant squad from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) has been called by forest officials to trace the missing cubs.