Maharashtra Forest Ministry forms inquiry committee to look into killing of tigress Avni

Mumbai: Maharashtra Forest Ministry has formed an inquiry committee on Friday to look into the killing of tigress Avni. The committee will look into if all norms and directives were followed or not when she was killed.

According to a provisional necropsy report, Avni died due to excessive internal haemorrhage and cardio-respiratory failure and her stomach and intestines were filled with fluid and gas, indicating she had not hunted or eaten for four to five days.

The killing of T1, as the tigress was officially known, led to outrage among animal lovers and wildlife organisations. 

Union minister Maneka Gandhi had lashed out at the Maharashtra government and had dubbed it a "ghastly murder".

The Maharashtra government, however, defended itself calling the incident "sad" but necessary after the tigress attacked forest staff trying to tranquilise it.

'Man-eater' tigress Avni (T1), who is suspected to be responsible for the deaths of 14 people in the past two years, was killed in Maharashtra's Yavatmal on November 2, as part of an operation. 

Avni is survived by her two cubs who are 10-months-old.

She was shot dead by sharp-shooter Asgar Ali, son of famous sharp-shooter Nawab Shafat Ali, at compartment no 149 of Borati forest under the jurisdiction of the Ralegaon police station.

(With inputs from agencies)