<p>The elusive tigress T1, popularly known as Avni of Pandharkawada - that claimed 13 lives in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra - has been shot dead.</p>.<p>Described as a man-eater, a massive manhunt for her was underway, since the last two months.</p>.<p>According to reports reaching here, the tigress was shot dead by Ashgar Ali, the son of Hyderabad-based sharpshooter Nawab Shafath Ali Khan.</p>.<p>In fact, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) A K Mishra, who is based in Nagpur, had been camping in Pandharkawada municipal town since the past 45 days.</p>.<p>T1 was shot dead in the Forest Development Corporation, Maharashtra, compartment no. 149, Borati, around 2300 hrs late on Friday night.</p>.<p><strong>READ MORE</strong></p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/social-media-outcry-over-man-701377.html" target="_blank"><strong>Social media outcry over 'man-eater' Avni's killing </strong></a></p>.<p>In the wee hours of Saturday between 0100 and 0300, the spot panchanama was conducted and the carcass was shifted to the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur.</p>.<p>The whereabouts of the two cubs of the five-year-old Avni is not yet known. "We are concerned about the whereabouts of the two cubs," said Dr Prayag HS, the Karnataka-based veterinarian and forensic expert.</p>.<p>The Maharashtra government's Forest department would send a report to the National Tiger Conservation Authority.</p>.<p>Several lakhs were spent in the operation - and almost everything was tried - use of thermal drones, perfumes, sniffer dogs, paraglider and camera traps. More than 250 persons were part of the operations.</p>.<p>More than 5,000 persons live in the 20-odd villages and hamlets around the Pandharkawada - and since the last one year, people were living in fear.</p>.<p>In the last one-and-a-half years, the tigress had reportedly claimed 13 lives. In fact, for Maharashtra"s finance, planning and forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, addressing the issue was a major challenge.</p>.<p>The matter had also reached the Bombay High Court with Dr Jerryl Banait and Mumbai-based Earth Brigade Foundation filing a PIL before the Nagpur bench. Online campaign too were launched to save her. Wildlife experts had said that the security and safety of cubs are important - and the focus should have been on tranquilising and capturing rather than eliminating her.</p>
<p>The elusive tigress T1, popularly known as Avni of Pandharkawada - that claimed 13 lives in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra - has been shot dead.</p>.<p>Described as a man-eater, a massive manhunt for her was underway, since the last two months.</p>.<p>According to reports reaching here, the tigress was shot dead by Ashgar Ali, the son of Hyderabad-based sharpshooter Nawab Shafath Ali Khan.</p>.<p>In fact, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) A K Mishra, who is based in Nagpur, had been camping in Pandharkawada municipal town since the past 45 days.</p>.<p>T1 was shot dead in the Forest Development Corporation, Maharashtra, compartment no. 149, Borati, around 2300 hrs late on Friday night.</p>.<p><strong>READ MORE</strong></p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/social-media-outcry-over-man-701377.html" target="_blank"><strong>Social media outcry over 'man-eater' Avni's killing </strong></a></p>.<p>In the wee hours of Saturday between 0100 and 0300, the spot panchanama was conducted and the carcass was shifted to the Gorewada Rescue Centre in Nagpur.</p>.<p>The whereabouts of the two cubs of the five-year-old Avni is not yet known. "We are concerned about the whereabouts of the two cubs," said Dr Prayag HS, the Karnataka-based veterinarian and forensic expert.</p>.<p>The Maharashtra government's Forest department would send a report to the National Tiger Conservation Authority.</p>.<p>Several lakhs were spent in the operation - and almost everything was tried - use of thermal drones, perfumes, sniffer dogs, paraglider and camera traps. More than 250 persons were part of the operations.</p>.<p>More than 5,000 persons live in the 20-odd villages and hamlets around the Pandharkawada - and since the last one year, people were living in fear.</p>.<p>In the last one-and-a-half years, the tigress had reportedly claimed 13 lives. In fact, for Maharashtra"s finance, planning and forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, addressing the issue was a major challenge.</p>.<p>The matter had also reached the Bombay High Court with Dr Jerryl Banait and Mumbai-based Earth Brigade Foundation filing a PIL before the Nagpur bench. Online campaign too were launched to save her. Wildlife experts had said that the security and safety of cubs are important - and the focus should have been on tranquilising and capturing rather than eliminating her.</p>
