Probe Underway To Ascertain Whether Tiger Was Shot At In Sagar

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Forest officials of Veerangana Durgawati Tiger Reserve, earlier known as Nauradehi Sanctuary in Sagar district, are investigating the allegation of whether a tiger moving through a field in Patna Mohli village was shot at. The investigation report is likely to be released by Thursday.

They, however, admitted that the tiger had attacked and injured a villager of Patna Mohli village on Monday and the victim is recuperating in a hospital in Sagar.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey alleged that when the tiger was moving through a field, someone opened fire on it.

The bullet missed the target. However, he said that instead of collecting scientific evidence from the scene, forest officials went to the village and started inquiring from villagers whether they had heard a gunshot.

He added that this has raised the possibility of the person with the firearm hiding it, which may be illegal.

He said police first collect ballistic evidence and then proceed to interrogation, but in this case, forest officials are doing the reverse. He also claimed that Patna Mohli village was not relocated even after the release of displacement funds.

He questioned whether the tiger was shot at, provoking it to attack a villager. He added that the forest department's claim that a youth was attacked while answering nature's call appears completely fabricated.

When contacted, Field Director of Veerangana Durgawati Tiger Reserve Rajnish Singh said that an inquiry is underway into the allegation of firing on the tiger and the report is expected on Thursday.