The investigation of the deaths of 2 tigers and an elephant in Bandipur Tiger Reserve has taken a fresh turn with the Coimbatore lab report stating the cause of death to be due to poisoning. According to the report, the animals were killed due to drinking poisoned water from the river. The animals in concern, a 2-year old female tiger, a 3-year old male tiger and an 18-year old female elephant, were all found dead within 500 metres of each other. The carcass samples were sent to 3 pathology labs, of which 2 had to send reports which denied poisoning as the cause of death, but the final lab has sent a report which alleges sinister foul play as a cause of death. It is alleged that the forest department suspects villagers of mixing pesticides in water to discourage straying of wild animals in agricultural fields.
-As reported by TOI