A tiger’s carcass was found in an agricultural field at Bondri village of Mansar Round of Ramtek Forest Range on Saturday night. Forest Department arrested two accused named Vinod Parteti (43), a resident of Kandri village, and Sanjay Thakkar (53), a resident of Nagpur in this case and produced them before the JMFC. Forest guards noticed the carcass of the tiger while patrolling near the village. The patrolling team immediately informed the senior officials of the Forest Department. After getting the information, senior officials including Harbir Singh, ACF; Bhagat, RFO; G A Shete, Forest Guard; and B N Gomase, Forest Guard rushed to the spot and conducted panchnama of the carcass and the area, as per the SOP of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

 

The panchanama took place in presence of Kundan Hate, Representative, NTCA; and Avinash Londhe, Representative, PCCF (Wildlife) and Honorary Wildlife Warden. In the initial enquiry, the forest team found that this 5-6 years old tiger was killed due to electrocution. However, due to lack of light at the venue, the team decided to conduct the Post-mortem on Sunday morning. Therefore, the carcass was send to Transit Treatment Centre (TTC), Seminary Hills. The agricultural field where the carcass was found, is situated near Nagpur-Jabalpur National Highway and it is 3 km away from Kandri village, which is close to Pench Tiger Reserve. According to forest officials, the tiger had likely come out from the Pench Forest and was venturing the agriculture land where it got electrocuted.

 

In last few months, many villages of Ramtek taluka are experiencing the venturing of wild animals near villages, with some incidents of man-animal conflict also taking place. As a result, so far, two human deaths and many cattle death incidents were reported due to wild animal attack in Ramtek area. To avoid man-animal conflict in villages and farm lands, the villagers erected electric wires in their farm lands. The officials are predicting that this tiger death took place due to such electric wires. On Sunday morning, the autopsy of the carcass and last rites took place in presence of Dr Bharat Singh Hada, DCF, Nagpur; Harvir Singh, ACF; Ajinkya Bhatkar, Representative, NTCA; Avinash Londhe, Representative, PCCF (Wildlife); Dr Rajendra Rewatkar, Live Stock Officer, Kandri; Dr Smita Ramteke, Live Stock Officer, Sirsi; Dr Rohini Tembhurne, Veterinarian; Dr Sudarshan Kakde, Veterinarian, TTC; Dr Rajesh Fulsunge, Veterinarian, TTC; Dr Sujit Kolangat, Veterinarian, WRTC; Gorewada; and Kundan Hate. Further investigation is on under the supervision of Dr Hada and Harvir Singh.