MYSURU: An eleven-year-old male tiger was allegedly shot dead in Bandipur National Park. The putrefied carcass of the tiger with bullet injuries on the spinal cord was found by the patrolling staff at Gopalanna Hall of Maddur range in Bandipur forest.
The assailants, who managed to clean a patch of shrubs 10 metres away from the trench of the National Park, managed to hide behind the bushes to hunt deer and other wild animals.
It is said the gang might have opened fire out of fear after sighting the tiger.
The injured tiger might have fallen into the trench and proceeded 70 metres inside the forest to roll into a puddle. The authorities who visited the spot suspected that the incident might have occurred 2-3 days ago. They could not find the bullet in and around the spot where the carcass was found.A case has been lodged at the Gundlupet police station.
Conservator Heeralal, ACF Pooviah and Wildlife Warden K R Naveen Kumar visited the spot.
Challenging task
The incident has raised eyebrows and posed as a challenge to forest authorities.
Bandipur had never witnessed such an incident in the recent decades. Sources said forest officials have rounded up habitual offenders in and around the National Park area and are working hard to nab the culprits. They have also held a meeting to step up patrolling and keep a vigil on those having armed weapons.
Meanwhile, honorary wildlife warden K R Naveen Kumar said they have decided to write to the Chamarajnagar Deputy Commissioner to make a list of licenced gun holders to track illegal weapon holders.
It is high time the forest officials worked in co-ordination with the police to seize illegal weapon holders, he felt.
Admitting that the gunshot incident is an eye-opener, he said the department should send a strong signal that it would not tolerate any sort of forest offences.