The killed tiger
Several lapses have been reported in the preliminary investigation by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in the killing of the man eater Tiger in Khanapur Taluka recently.
Standard operating procedures on handling tigers were not followed by the NGO concerned and the Forest Department. For radio collaring animals, permission from the Ministry of Telecommunications is mandatory. Radio frequency should be shared with the Forest Department, MoEF and the NTCA. This was not done in this case. No permission was taken for the radio collar.
Ms Suma Nagesh, convener of the Save Democracy Forum of Chikamagaluru, has held Rana George, member of the Wildlife Conservation Board, and Sanjay Gubbi, State Wildlife Board member, and some others, responsible for the death of the tiger. In a memorandum to the President on January 1, she alleged that Mr Rana George, who is also son of Home Minister K.J. George, and Mr Gubbi conducted unusual and useless experiments on the tiger by radio collaring it and leading to its death.
It may be recalled that the tiger killed on December 28, was relocated to Bhimgad reserve from Chikkamagaluru.
Inputs from DH and DC.