Overview
- Forest teams tranquillised and caged a tigress suspected of killing two villagers and the animal collapsed and died about 12 hours after capture on June 23 in Lakhimpur Kheri.
- The Indian Veterinary Research Institute’s preliminary post-mortem identified haemorrhagic gastritis and severe parasitic infestation as probable causes and said summer heat and capture-related strain could have contributed, while final histopathology and toxicology results remain awaited.
- The Uttar Pradesh government has set up a three-member Special Investigation Team led by PCCF Lalit Kumar Verma with A P Singh and veterinarian Utkarsh Shukla to examine the circumstances and any procedural lapses.
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority has sought a factual report from the state on whether NTCA standard operating procedures for capture and handling were followed during the operation.
- A separate injured tiger attacked a villager and died days later with its carcass also sent to IVRI, making this the second recent fatality in the district and the fourth big-cat death in Uttar Pradesh this year, raising concerns about animal health, summer stress and local human safety.