Centre constitutes Special Investigation Team
Chamarajanagar: Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the recent deaths of five tigers — a tigress and her four cubs — near the Meenyam Zone of Hoogyam Wildlife Range in the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary.
The tigers died after consuming a cow carcass intentionally laced with poison and placed inside the forest. The arrested include Konappa, the cow’s owner, Madaraju of Koppa village, who poisoned the carcass and Nagaraju, also from Koppa village.
All three are in the custody of the Forest Department for further investigation. Veterinarians found traces of phorate, a chemical used in insecticides, in the stomachs and digestive systems of the dead tigers.
A veterinarian involved in the investigation stated that phorate is a carbonate compound found in insecticides. Locals laced a freshly dead ox with large quantities of insecticide containing phorate. All five tigers died within hours of consuming the meat.
Typically, poisoned animals die 4-5 hours after ingestion, but high toxin levels can cause death sooner, as in this case, he added.
Central probe launched
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has ordered an investigation and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the death of tigers. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Government has assembled a high-level team of officials and independent tiger experts.
The Central SIT includes V. Harini, Assistant Inspector General (AIG), National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Bengaluru and V. Thenmozhi, AIG of Forests, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The team must submit a report within two weeks, with the State providing logistical support.
Unpaid frontline Forest staff
The incident — one of the worst tiger mass deaths in recent years — has raised concerns about systemic lapses. Activists note that losing an entire tiger family is rare and point to deeper failures.
The tragedy has also exposed issues in delayed wages for Forest staff, who are outsourced through private contractors. On Monday, about 50 staffers protested outside the Deputy Conservator of Forests’ office at Male Mahadeshwara Hills over three months of unpaid salaries.
In the BRT Tiger Reserve, officials issued a notice to RC Business Solutions for failing to deposit EPF, ESI and other benefits for 122 staffers.
Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has promised an investigation into salary delays, vowing to ensure timely payments. He added that if negligence is found in tiger deaths, action will be taken against responsible officials.
RFO accountable: MLA
Hanur MLA N. Manjunath has demanded strict action against those responsible, stating that the tigers likely died after consuming meat from a poisoned cow. Shockingly, the carcasses remained unnoticed by officials for three days before being discovered.
An investigation into the incident is currently underway, the area Range Forest Officer (RFO) must be held accountable for the oversight, he said and added that this case highlights the ongoing human-wildlife conflict in the area, which requires continued discussion and permanent solutions.
Following the completion of the post-mortem examinations, all five tiger carcasses were disposed of according to standard protocol.
MLA Manjunath, members of the high-level inquiry committee, including DCF Y. Chakrapani, Hanur Sub-Divisional ACF Gajanan Hegde and Hoogyam RFO Madhesh, among other officials, were present.