Rewilded Tiger Poisoned to Death in Chhindwara, Four Arrested for Revenge Killing
A tragic incident of human-wildlife conflict has resulted in the death of a rewilded tiger in Madhya Pradesh. A four-and-a-half-year-old male tiger, which had been released into the wild from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve into the Satpura Tiger Reserve landscape in December 2024, was allegedly poisoned to death by a villager in Chhindwara district. The villager, identified as Udesingh, 50, from Chhatiaam, sought revenge after the big cat killed his ox.
Discovery of the Carcass and Investigation
Forest officials launched a search operation after tracking the last known location of the radio-collared tiger since Thursday evening. On Friday morning, a joint team from the Satpura Tiger Reserve buffer staff and the Sangakheda range team of the West Chhindwara Forest Division first recovered the carcass of an ox in a forest patch near compartments P-266 and P-262 of Chhatiaam beat in Sangakheda range. Suspecting tiger predation, they conducted a detailed search with a dog squad.
This led to the recovery of the tiger's carcass, which had been buried in the ground nearby, at around 8:30 am. During preliminary investigation, officials traced the owner of the ox to a nearby village and detained Udesingh for questioning.
Confession and Arrests
During interrogation, Udesingh confessed that the tiger had killed his ox a few days earlier. In retaliation, he allegedly laced the ox carcass with pesticide and left it in the open, leading to the tiger's death after it consumed the poisoned meat. He also admitted that he, along with others, buried the tiger's carcass the following day to conceal the incident.
Based on his statement, forest officials arrested three more accused: Bisanlal Sheelu, 30, from Putaiam; Manohar Singh, 60, from Dob Jhirna in Babai tehsil of Narmadapuram district; and Kailal, 65, from Kuchikhoh. All four are now in custody and will be produced before the court.
Official Statements and Further Actions
APPCF (wildlife) L Krishnamurty stated that the villagers are being questioned for more details, noting that all the tiger's body parts are intact. Forest officials are continuing the investigation to ascertain other aspects, including the exact substance used and whether there was any prior planning involved.
The carcass of the male tiger was later cremated as per protocol in the presence of Satpura Tiger Reserve Field Director Rakhi Nanda and West Chhindwara DFO Sahil Garg. Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has demanded strict action against those involved, highlighting the severity of this wildlife crime.
This incident underscores the ongoing challenges in human-wildlife coexistence, particularly in regions where rewilding efforts are implemented to bolster tiger populations. The forest department's swift action in arresting the accused demonstrates a commitment to enforcing wildlife protection laws, but it also raises concerns about community engagement and conflict mitigation strategies in tiger habitats.
