Tiger Reserves

MYSURU: In the light of the first reported case of a tiger death due to gunshot this year at Maddur forest range, Bandipur officials at the national tiger reserve have cracked the whip on non-staying officers at headquarters and asked them to show cause.
Notices have been slapped on a few assistant conservators of forests for staying outside their respective working areas and directions have been given to officers not to leave their divisions without conferring with their superiors, sources said.
"It has come to my notice that a few officers were not at headquarters on the day the tiger die d due to gunshot. I have served show-cause notices to these officers and have directed the rest to inform me before they move out of their ranges," director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, T Heeralal told TOI.
Officers, along with their families, reside in Gundlupet, which lies just outside the Bandipur forest and occasionally, a few of them leave their respective divisions to go home. The chances of poachers so brazenly entering the reserve and shooting down a tiger would have been less had officers stayed at headquarters, sources added.
An activist has even questioned how no officer heard the fatal gunshot. However, the officers concerned have remained mum on the issue.
Investigation under way
Meanwhile, an investigation into the death of the tiger, which succumbed to bullet wounds, is underway. "We will inform you once we achieve a breakthrough in the case," said Heeralal.