NILGIRIS: Officials of the Nilgiris forest division on Monday night arrested a cattle owner on charges of applying poison over the cow carcass that resulted in the death of a tiger in Kundha recently. He was remanded in judicial custody.
According to sources, Sekar of Emerald Village had targeted the carnivore after his cow was found dead near the Avalanche Dam surplus water channel. Sekar allegedly applied pesticide on the cow’s carcass hoping for the carnivore to return and feed upon its prey.
A forest official said they held inquiries with the people of Emerald Village about the owner of the cow that was found dead near the carcasses of two tigers. “We commenced investigation with Sekar after locals stated that he was searching for his cow in the last ten days and he admitted to the crime,” the official added
The official said an eight-year-old tiger might have fed upon the poisoned carcass before it killed a three-year-old tiger in a territorial fight. However, the official said the exact cause of death could be established by forensic analysis of organ samples that were sent to SACON near Anaikatti and the forensic lab in Coimbatore.