A sub-adult female tiger was found dead with a gunshot wound in the Mayudia area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Lower Dibang Valley district, just two days after a police constable was killed in a tiger attack in the same forested region.
Forest officials confirmed that the carcass bore a firearm injury, prompting a formal investigation into the circumstances of the animal’s death. The development has intensified scrutiny over human–wildlife conflict in the sensitive Mayudia stretch, which lies near the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary and is known for its tiger population.
The tigress’s body was recovered on Thursday from a forested area near Mayudia. Authorities are examining whether the killing was an act of retaliation following the fatal attack on the police personnel or the result of another unlawful act. Officials have not yet confirmed whether the dead tigress was the same animal involved in the earlier incident.
Standard procedures, including a post-mortem examination and forensic analysis, are being carried out to determine the precise cause of death. Ballistic tests are also expected to form part of the probe.
The sequence of events began on the night of February 2–3, when Head Constable Chikseng Manpung of the Arunachal Pradesh Police was attacked by a tiger while travelling by motorcycle from Anini to Roing after completing his official duties.
The attack occurred along the Roing–Anini road (NH-313), particularly the Mayudia stretch, where multiple tiger sightings had recently been reported, including that of a tigress with sub-adult cubs.
Manpung, a resident of Manfaiseng village in Namsai district and posted as a radio operator at Roing Police Station, went missing after the attack. His mutilated body was recovered the following day during search operations conducted jointly by police and forest department teams.
Following the incident, the Lower Dibang Valley district administration issued public safety advisories, urging residents to avoid night travel along the affected stretch, especially on two-wheelers, due to the heightened risk of wildlife encounters. Forest teams have stepped up patrolling in the area to monitor tiger movement and ensure public safety.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and other state leaders expressed condolences over the constable’s death. The government announced ex-gratia financial assistance for the family, ordered departmental inquiries, and directed authorities to strengthen preventive measures to address the escalating human–wildlife conflict.
The recovery of the dead tigress with a gunshot injury has added a new dimension to the case. Forest and police authorities have launched a detailed probe to establish the exact circumstances of the shooting and to determine whether there is any direct link between the tigress’s death and the fatal mauling of Head Constable Manpung.
Officials said surveillance in the region has been intensified and outreach to local communities is ongoing as investigations continue.
