Tiger found dead in waterhole: Poachers suspected

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Mysuru: A tiger was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside a waterhole at Kebbepura in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district on Wednesday.

According to information reaching here, its limbs and neck were entangled in a metal wire which has raised the suspicion that it could be the handiwork of poachers.

The carcass was found in Kundakera Forest Range in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The big tiger was found dead with its neck deep inside the water. When the carcass was lifted, Forest Department personnel were shocked to see its limbs and neck entangled in the barbed wire.

Initially, forest officials had suspected that the tiger might have died of cardiac arrest while drinking water but the alleged hand of poachers was suspected after seeing the barbed wire. The officials opined that the poachers might have tied its legs with iron wire and then thrown it inside the tank. The veterinarians who performed the post-mortem have ruled out death due to strangulation.

According to sources, of late the menace of wild tigers was rampant and villagers had appealed to the department to capture them. But the department had not responded to their plea. Agitated over this, the people might have killed the tiger to save their lives. The body was highly decomposed as it was in the water for two to three days.

Even the postmortem did not reveal the exact cause of death. The body parts have been sent to a Bengaluru laboratory to know the reason for the death. A senior officer said a team will be constituted to collect information about the dead tiger and also on those behind this dastardly crime. The tiger was a male aged around five years.

Since it was young, death cannot be attributed to old age. After the postmortem, the body was cremated as per the directions of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.  

The incident came to light when a farmer took his cows to the tank to provide them drinking water. He saw the floating carcass of the tiger and informed local officials who in turn informed senior officials. The mahazar was conducted in the presence of senior officials as per NTCA guidelines.