Bhopal: A second autopsy of the tiger that killed a woman and injured three members of her family in Kherwa Tola locality of Panpatha village near Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve was performed on Monday.
After the attack, the tiger retreated into the forest but later returned to the village in an unusual manner and was found lying motionless, officials said.
Forest officials launched a rescue operation and darted the animal. However, it was found dead during the operation.
A second post-mortem of the tiger was conducted on Monday, officials said.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Sunday when the tiger strayed into the residential area and attacked Phool Bai Pal (40) while she was sleeping inside her village house.
The animal also injured her husband, father, and father-in-law, who rushed to save her. All three sustained critical injuries.
Speaking to IANS, Anupam Sahay, Field Director of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, strongly refuted speculation that the tiger died due to an overdose of tranquillisers.
He clarified that preliminary findings do not support this claim.
Sahay said several other factors, such as heatstroke, thirst, or underlying disease, could have contributed to the tiger’s death.
A formal statement issued by the reserve authorities also dismissed media and social media reports suggesting death due to a tranquiliser overdose.
“We are awaiting the second autopsy report; it will take at least two days,” Sahay said.
He also refuted rumours that enraged villagers might have killed the tiger.
“There were no fractures or injury marks on the carcass of the tiger,” he said.
The incident triggered anger among local residents, who protested against repeated tiger attacks in the area.
Angry villagers allegedly assaulted a forest ranger and manhandled a woman forest staffer during the protest.
The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has initiated a detailed investigation into the entire episode.
The three injured family members are undergoing treatment in a hospital. The state government has already granted financial aid and free medical treatment to the injured.
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district is one of India’s premier tiger habitats, where human-tiger conflict is often reported.
Authorities have appealed for calm and assured residents that necessary safety measures are in place.
(IANS)
