He poisoned the flesh of a cow belonging to him that was killed by a tiger, knowing that the big cats would return to it.
Published Sep 12, 2023 | 9:09 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 12, 2023 | 10:25 PM
The carcasses were consigned to flames after postmortem. (Supplied)
A cattle herder has been arrested for poisoning to death two tigers near the Avalanche dam water channel at Kundha taluk in the Nilgiris district, officials from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department have said.
The accused, Shekar, was arrested after forest officials on routine patrol found the carcass of a tiger floating in the channel near the Emerald Dam on 9 September.
A second carcass was found 10 metres away on marshy land near the channel.
On further inspection, the officials came across a decomposing carcass of a cow, which sparked suspicion that the big cats had been poisoned.
Post-mortem examinations of the three carcasses revealed the presence of a pesticide. Veterinarians also found that the tigers had preyed on the bovine. Both tigers’ tongues had turned dark, indicating poisoning.
Further investigation led the officials to the cow’s owner in Avalanche, a nearby village.
It came to light that Shekar, on finding a cow missing, launched a search and found its carcass. Realising that it had been killed by a tiger, an enraged Shekar apparently poisoned its flesh, knowing well that the big cats would return to their kill.
Forest officials said he confessed to the crime. The man has since been arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
Veterinarians said the tigers — both males — were aged eight and three. Officials had initially said that both were female.
The younger tiger had fractured its vertebral column. The older tiger bore no injuries. It has been suspected that the tigers might have fought for the cow, resulting in the fracture.
The samples of visceral contents and tissues from all three animals have been sent for forensic analysis.
Meanwhile, S Prabhu, son of the accused Shekar, stated that his father was falsely implicated in the case.
Prabhu told reporters that the foresters picked his father for an enquiry, promising to let him go after the interrogation.
“My father is mentally unstable. He lied that his cow was killed so that he would be compensated. However, we do not rear any cattle. His lies have landed him in trouble,” Prabhu said.
As per the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, tigers fall under Schedule I and are protected animals. Hunting or killing the animal is an offence.
If the offence is committed within the core area of a tiger reserve, sanctuary, or national park, it attracts a mandatory prison term of three years, which may extend to seven years. The culprit may also be slapped with a fine of ₹25,000, which may extend to ₹50 lakh.
According to the Wildlife Protection Society of India, in 1,144 tiger-related court cases in the country, only 175 people have been convicted for killing a tiger or trading in tiger parts. Most cases are pending in court.
Tamil Nadu has a population of 306 tigers, according to 2022 estimates.
