Bengaluru – Forest and police authorities have cracked the high-profile case involving the death of a tigress and her four cubs in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills forest region, arresting three individuals on Saturday for allegedly poisoning the big cats in retaliation for the killing of a cow.
The arrests were confirmed by Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre, who stated that a detailed investigation is underway and that legal action will be pursued under relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the Karnataka Forest Act, 1969.
The accused have been identified as Konappa, Madaraju, and Nagaraju, all residents of Koppa village.
According to sources, the accused confessed to lacing a cow carcass with pesticide in an act of revenge. The tigress had reportedly killed a cow named Kenchi, which belonged to the family of the accused. Enraged by the loss, Madaraju and Nagaraju conspired to kill the tigress and her cubs by poisoning the remains of the dead cow.
They allegedly procured pesticide, entered the forest, and contaminated the carcass. The following day, the tigress and her four cubs consumed the poisoned meat and died.
Officials said that Madaraju celebrated the death of the tigers, and later went into hiding when the incident sparked a public outcry. He was eventually tracked down and arrested by the authorities.
In an earlier twist, Madaraju’s father, Shivanna, had initially taken the blame in an effort to protect his son. However, following the confession of the actual culprits, Shivanna’s name has been dropped from the case.
The shocking deaths came to light on Thursday, when the carcasses of the tigress and her cubs were discovered in the Meenyam forest area, within the Hoogyam range of the sanctuary. Officials said the tigress had killed the cow and dragged it into the forest, where she and her cubs had partially consumed it before succumbing to the poison.
In response to the gravity of the case, the government has appointed Kumar Pushkar, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (APCCF) and Nodal Officer for All India Tiger Estimation, to head the investigation—replacing the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF).
The newly formed investigation team includes:
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T. Hiralal, Chief Forest Conservator
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Srinivasulu, APCCF
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Malleshappa, NTCA representative
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Dr. Shashidhar, veterinary officer, Mysuru Zoo
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Sanjay Gubbi, wildlife expert and conservationist
Authorities have condemned the incident as a serious offense against wildlife and are expected to press charges that could lead to stringent penalties under Indian wildlife protection laws.
