Tigers' sample sent to labs; Forest Minister Khandre likely to visit MM Hills sanctuary

Mysuru: Poisoning is strongly suspected to be the cause of the death of a tigress and her four cubs.

Their demise has also triggered debates over the alleged administrative lapses in the Forest department. Minister of Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar Khandre is likely to visit M M Hills today, sources said.

On Thursday, five tigers were found dead by the Forest department personnel on patrol, on Thursday.

According to sources, the Forest department has been questioning the cowherds in the village and has taken a few people into custody for inquiry.

The post mortem of the tigress was done on Thursday and the autopsy of the four cubs were conducted on Friday. The samples and viscera have been collected and sent to the lab for testing.

Sources from the Forest department said that they suspect the tigers consumed carcass of a cattle, which was found nearby. Authorities suspect it was laced with poison which eventually resulted in their deaths. Though prima facie it looks like poisoning, lab reports are awaited.

The deaths of the tigers have caused an outrage among the environmentalists, who blame the Forest department for its lapses.

Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has formed a six-member high-level inquiry committee to probe the death of the tigers and asked to submit the report within 14 days.