The three men arrested for the poisoning deaths of a tigress and her four cubs exploited a protest by forest watchers to carry out their plan, sources revealed.
On Monday, forest watchers began a strike over unpaid salaries stretching several months, leaving vast stretches of the forest unguarded. Seizing the opportunity, the accused—identified as Madaraja, Kunappa, and Nagaraj—coated the carcass of a cow with poison. The cow had been killed earlier by the tigers.
Knowing that the tigress and her cubs would return to feed on their kill after a few days, the men waited patiently. According to investigators, their motive was retaliation for losing their livestock.
The arrest of Madaraja, son of influential local leader Shivanna, has stunned the community. Sources said Shivanna attempted to take the blame by surrendering to authorities, but police declined to arrest him due to substantial evidence proving his son’s direct involvement.
Residents voiced anger and frustration over repeated wildlife attacks on livestock, with some initially believing leopards were responsible. They were shocked to discover tigers had hunted their cattle.
Adding to the tension, villagers complained they have yet to receive compensation for recent wildlife incidents, including the death of a man trampled by an elephant. They also alleged that no forest department official visited after the cattle killings, deepening resentment over what they see as neglect and indifference.