A mutilated carcass of a Royal Bengal Tiger was discovered on Thursday along the Gabharu River in Assam’s Sonitpur district, raising serious concerns of poaching. Forest officials reported that the carcass, found near Kochgaon under Thelamara police station, had its tail and all four legs severed. Divisional Forest Officer Biswa Jyoti Das stated that the tiger’s body appeared to have drifted downstream several days after death, but the manner of mutilation strongly suggested foul play.
The carcass was first spotted on a sandbar, prompting forest personnel from the West Sonitpur Forest Division and Tezpur Forest Range, along with police officials, to rush to the site. A team from the Wildlife Division and veterinary experts conducted a post-mortem examination and collected forensic samples to determine the exact cause of death. Officials confirmed that the tiger measured approximately five feet in length.
Following the examination, the carcass was cremated on the banks of the Gabharu River in accordance with wildlife disposal protocols. Authorities suspect that poachers may have killed the animal, removed its valuable body parts, and attempted to dispose of the evidence in the river. The forest department has launched an investigation and is awaiting the forensic report to establish the circumstances surrounding the tiger’s death.
