K12, related to two poisoned tigers, yet to be traced

 Adilabad: Amid the suspension of forest department officials and increased official presence in forests following incidents of tiger deaths, a female tiger named K12 — that was part of the family of a male and a cub who died recently due to alleged poisoning of cattle kill — is yet to be tracked.

K12, who was moving in the forests between Kotapalli and Neelvai, in the Chennur constituency, has gone missing, raising concerns as sources said poachers were active in the region and were targeting animals using traps and electric wires.

While they admitted that there was a possibility of the tiger having moved to other areas, a lack of confirmation on the same is keeping the department on tenterhooks.

Following the two deaths, the forest department has suspended FDO Venu Babu, FRO Venugopal (incharge of Kagaznagar), deputy FRO Poshetti and beat officer Srikanth on the charges of the negligence in tracking the tigers and subsequently, the death of two tigers near Darigaon forest beat in the Kagaznagar forest range.

The suspensions came due to a lack of clarity on the two tiger deaths, with top officials changing their versions and raising doubts about the locals and tribals, in particular. The differing accounts also exposed the lack of coordination among the officials.