Sundargarh, Dec 12: Tension has spread in Sundargarh district after a tiger was found dead under suspicious circumstances. The carcass was recovered from the Khesara forest in the Kusumadihi section of the Tamara Range, under Gurundia police limits.

According to forest officials, the tiger—estimated to be around 12 years old—likely died due to poisoning. Preliminary investigation suggests that the animal consumed meat from a calf that had been laced with poison. The same tiger had reportedly killed the calf a few days earlier, after which miscreants are believed to have mixed poison into the carcass and left it in the forest.

Upon receiving information about the tiger’s death, senior forest officials, including the RCCF and the DFO, rushed to the spot and initiated a detailed probe. Evidence from the site aligns with the initial suspicion of poisoning, though further investigation is underway to identify those responsible.

The incident has raised concerns over wildlife safety in the region, prompting the Forest Department to intensify surveillance and inquiries.