The tigress was found dumped in a well in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. (Representational)
A 14-year-old tigress was found dumped in a well located in the buffer zone of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Madhya Pradesh's Umaria district with two heavy stones tied to the carcass to weigh it down, an official said on Friday.
It is a suspected case of poaching as two injury marks were found on the face of the dead tigress- T-32 - BTR's field director Vincent Raheem told PTI.
"The carcass of the tigress was found weighed down with two big stones in the well last week. Of the two injury marks on her face, one appears to be made using a sharp weapon, like an axe," he said.
When asked about the tigress's post-mortem report, he said it did not specify any particular reason behind the death.
"We have sent the viscera for a test. We are carrying out a thorough probe into the big cat's death. Those responsible for it will not be spared," he added.
According to the people living close to the tiger reserve, T-32 was a centre of attention.
The tigress was 14 years old and had given birth to several cubs in five litters, Mr Raheem said.
However, he said he did not have exact information about how many offspring of this tigress were in the BTR now.
The Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) is spread over an area of 1,536.93 sq km and there are 104 adult tigers in the reserve as per an animal count, Mr Raheem said.
It is one of the densely-populated habitats of tigers in the country, he added.
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