Asifabad forest officials still clueless over identity of electrocuted wild animal

A wild animal, suspected to be a tiger, was electrocuted on the outskirts of Yellur village in Penchikalpet mandal on May 15. Its carcass was exhumed on Friday

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: Forest officials are yet to find out whether the electrocuted wild animal, the carcass of which was found on Friday, was a tiger.

A wild animal, suspected to be a tiger, was electrocuted on the outskirts of Yellur village in Penchikalpet mandal on May 15. Its carcass was exhumed on Friday. Subsequently, a team of officials led by a Forest Range Officer and authorities of the Wildlife Crime Control Board began a probe. Around 20 persons were detained and are being interrogated.

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“While suspects are saying they poached a wild animal, locals claim that they saw the body of a tiger. If a tiger was poached, you need to recover its nails, hair and skin to establish the crime. The suspects, who are habitual offenders, are not disclosing as to which animal they poached,” an official involved in investigations said.

The investigating officials, however, managed to seize material used to hunt wild animals from the suspects. They are exuding confidence that they would be able to unravel the mystery behind the identity of the wild animal soon. They stated that they were focusing on recording the confessions of the accused persons and as to why they eliminated the animal.

Meanwhile, the officials are drawing flak for suspending lower-rank staffers whenever tigers are poached in this region. Similarly, they have come under scanner for failing to protect tigers inhabiting in the forests and to check poaching. Three tigers, if the deceased wild animal turns out to be a tiger, died in a gap of 17 months in the district, indicating the gravity of the menace.