Royal Bengal Tiger found mutilated in Assam, poaching suspected

A mutilated carcass of a Royal Bengal Tiger was recovered from a sandbar along the Gabharu River in Assam's Sonitpur district on June 11, raising suspicions of poaching, forest officials said.

The carcass, with its tail and all four legs severed, was found near Kochgaon under Thelamara Police Station limits. According to Divisional Forest Officer Biswa Jyoti Das, the tiger's body appeared to have been dumped in the river after valuable body parts were removed.

"The carcass seems to have drifted downstream several days after the animal's death. However, the manner in which the body was mutilated strongly suggests foul play," Das said.

Following the discovery, teams from the West Sonitpur Forest Division, Tezpur Forest Range and local police rushed to the site. Veterinary experts and officials from the wildlife division conducted a post-mortem examination and collected samples for forensic analysis to determine the exact cause of death.

Officials said the tiger measured approximately five feet in length. After the examination, the carcass was cremated on the banks of the Gabharu River in accordance with wildlife disposal protocols.

The forest department has launched an investigation into the incident and is awaiting the forensic report to establish the circumstances surrounding the tiger's death. Authorities suspect poachers may have killed the animal, removed valuable body parts and attempted to destroy evidence by disposing of the carcass in the river.