The Forest Department has filed a complaint with the Sargur police in H.D. Kote to “investigate the cause of injuries” to a tiger captured from Sargur last week.
The authorities said they suspected that the injuries on its hind legs may have been caused by bullet pellets, which could may underline the presence of poachers.
The tiger was tranquilised and shifted to Mysuru zoo, where it is undergoing treatment.
‘Possibility of pellet injuries’
Senior officials in the department confirmed with The Hindu that they wanted to rule out the possibility of bullet pellet injuries and therefore had invited ballistic experts to examine the wound.
“Ballistic experts will not take up the investigation unless an FIR is registered. To complete procedural formalities, this has been done,” the official added.
We have sought a visit from ballistic experts to be “doubly sure” there are no bullet injuries, said the official.