Forest staff suspended for ''unwarranted firing'' on tiger in Kaziranga

Guwahati: A Forest department employee has been suspended for ”unwarranted firing” that had led to the death of a Royal Bengal tiger in Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam a few days back, an official release said.

Post-mortem conducted on the carcass revealed a bullet injury through the lungs and the heart, causing death.

“An inquiry conducted by the Assistance Conservator of Forests into the incident revealed that the firing was unwarranted based on which the staff concerned was suspended,” the release issued by the Kaziranga National Park authorities said on Sunday.

The carcass of the male tiger was found near Japoripothar, under Kohora range of the National Park, on June 18 by staff of the Bheroni camp.

The tiger had died of a gunshot injury during a conflict event the previous day, fired by a staff of Bheroni camp, who has been now suspended.

The tiger had killed a cow in the area on June 17 and the staff from Bheroni camp, called in by the villagers, had fired to scare it away.

The inquiry further revealed that the tiger was an old one, with three worn out canines and one missing, because of which probably it had killed the bovine.