two men have been arrested for allegedly poisoning a tigress and her four cubs in the Hugyam forest range of Male Mahadeshwara Hills in Karnataka’s Chamarajanagar district, police confirmed on Saturday.
The carcasses of the big cats were discovered on Thursday, prompting an immediate inquiry by forest officials and local police. The post-mortem and forensic examinations confirmed that all five tigers had died due to poisoning.
Investigators stumbled upon a crucial lead when they found the remains of a poisoned cow near the scene. The cow, identified as ‘Kenchi’, belonged to a man named Maada alias Maaduraju. According to police sources, Maaduraju was allegedly enraged after wild animals preyed on his livestock and took matters into his own hands to avenge the loss.
In what appears to be a premeditated act, he is said to have laced the carcass of the cow with poison, anticipating that the predators would return to feed. As per forest department sources, the tigress, which had initially killed the cow, did return, this time accompanied by her four cubs. All five fed on the carcass and succumbed shortly thereafter.
Also read: 5 tigers found dead in Karnataka's MM Hills, forest dept blamed
Maaduraju’s friend, Nagaraju, is believed to have assisted him in executing the act. Both men have since been detained and taken to ‘Aranya Bhavan’, the Forest Department office at Meenyam in Hanur taluk, for further interrogation.
The case took a brief turn when Maaduraju’s father, Shivanna, reportedly approached the police claiming responsibility for the incident. However, after a preliminary investigation, authorities ruled out his involvement, determining instead that it was Maaduraju who was primarily responsible.
Wildlife officials have condemned the act in strong terms, calling it a tragic and senseless loss of an endangered species. The death of the tigress and her cubs is likely to set back conservation efforts in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills, a known tiger habitat within the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary buffer zone.
Senior forest officials said they were considering invoking sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which could lead to stringent punishment if the accused are found guilty.
The incident has also drawn attention to the ongoing tensions between villagers living in the forest fringes and carnivores that prey on their cattle. Wildlife experts have long argued for compensation schemes and community engagement to prevent retaliatory killings.
As investigations continue, officials have urged local residents to report any such encounters with wildlife to the Forest Department rather than taking matters into their own hands.
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