Nagpur: In a distressing turn of events, Maharashtra has witnessed a concerning surge in tiger deaths, with the toll reaching 28 over the past 7.5 months. The latest fatality was reported on Wednesday, attributed to suspected electrocution.
The most recent incident unfolded in the vicinity of Khandal village, nestled under the Tumsar forest range within the Bhandara division. On receiving a tip-off, Police Patil Kamlesh Bhardwar swiftly coordinated with forest officials to investigate the matter. The decomposed carcass of a tiger was found concealed amidst the foliage of a paddy field in survey number 188.
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The joint team, consisting of RFO CG Rahangdale, forest guards AJ Wasnik and S Selokar, as well as honorary wardens Nadeem Khan and Shahid Khan, made a grim discovery. The lifeless tiger lay hidden beneath layers of tree branches and leaves, indicating a deliberate attempt to conceal the tragic incident.
Agriculturalist Ratanlal Waghmare was taken into custody in connection with the incident. However, it was revealed that the land in question was not owned by Waghmare; rather, it was a parcel of land left untouched within the bounds of the adjacent Chandpur Lake catchment area. Initial misleading statements from Waghmare claimed the tiger’s demise was due to pesticide poisoning, citing his pesticide use on crops.
Subsequent evidence, however, pointed to the involvement of poachers. Forest personnel confiscated approximately 10-12 wooden pegs and electric wires from the accused, clearly indicative of foul play. The electrocution hypothesis gained credence, suggesting that the tiger met its untimely demise in a strategically-laid fence intended for capturing herbivores. Speculations surrounding the potential role of a notorious poaching gang, active in hunting herbivores for their meat, have also surfaced.
Veterinary experts have estimated the carcass to be around eight days old, owing to its advanced state of decomposition. Although the tiger’s body remained largely intact, the degree of decomposition prevented the extraction of viable samples for further investigation.
Official records from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) highlight a concerning trend. While the NTCA listed 21 tiger deaths in Maharashtra, this count excludes the four tigers that fell victim to poaching by Bawaria tribals earlier this year in the Chandrapur and Gadchiroli districts. Additionally, the NTCA’s data overlooks recent incidents, such as the tiger that perished in a road accident near Nagzira and the one discovered deceased on Wednesday.
These developments have propelled Maharashtra to the top of the list for tiger deaths in the country, surpassing neighboring Madhya Pradesh, which has recorded 27 deaths during the same period. The state is closely followed by Uttarakhand (15), Kerala (11), Assam (10), and Karnataka (10) in the unfortunate roster of tiger fatalities.
