Tiger dies of electrocution, two held

Nagpur: Tiger T10, whose radio collar was found on April 20 in the Nagbhid forest range in Maharashtra’s Chandrapur district, was electrocuted when it came in contact with a live wire in a paddy field, officials said.

Mahadev Irpate (65), the farmer in whose field the 230-kg tiger was electrocuted, has been arrested. His aide Subhash Uike (55), who allegedly helped him bury the tiger in the paddy farm has also been arrested.

“The farmer has admitted to his crime,” said Wildlife Institute of India Scientist Bilal Habib, who radio-collared the big cat twice, first in February 2016 and then in December 2016.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (wildlife) Shri Bhagwan said the accused have been booked under Section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act. He added that all body parts of the animal were found to be intact. The tiger, alsoknownassrinivas,wasthreeyear old. —VIVEK DESHPANDE