Bhopal, March 28: A radio-collared tiger was found dead and buried in a pit in the West Chhindwara forest division on Friday, March 28, with authorities confirming that the animal had been poisoned. Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the incident, which officials say was linked to retaliation after cattle predation.

The tiger, originally translocated from Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in December 2004, had established its territory outside the reserve. Forest officials said the accused allegedly laced the carcass of prey with poison to target the big cat. ‘Langdi’ Dies: Tigress T-20 Passes Away in Karmajhiri Range Due to Old Age, Was Last Sighted Just 2 Days Ago.

5 Held for Poisoning Tiger in MP

The carcass was recovered on Friday from a pit in the Sanga Kheda village area under the Chhindwara South Forest Division. Acting on initial findings, police arrested five suspects, who have since been remanded to judicial custody. According to officials, the accused also have links to illegal activities, including opium cultivation, which is being investigated alongside the wildlife offence.

Preliminary findings indicate that the tiger died after consuming poisoned bait. Officials believe the act was carried out in retaliation after the animal reportedly killed livestock belonging to local residents. Tiger Deaths in Maharashtra: 41 Tiger Deaths Reported in State in 2025, 8 Killed in Accidents, Says Forest Minister Ganesh Naik.

Such incidents of poisoning are a known threat to big cats in human-dominated landscapes, where conflict over livestock losses can lead to retaliatory killings.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has raised concerns over possible lapses in monitoring the radio-collared tiger. In a formal complaint to authorities including the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Dubey alleged that no movement had been recorded from the tiger’s tracking device since March 3.

He described the incident as not only a case of poaching but also a failure of administrative oversight, and called for a thorough investigation, including accountability of officials responsible for monitoring the animal.

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