Uttarakhand govt orders probe after 2 tiger cubs found dead, paws chopped off

Anyone found guilty will face stringent possible action, Uniyal said.Forest officials found the carcasses of the one-year-old male and female tiger cubs on the intervening night of May 18-19.According to the officials, poachers cut off the paws of the cubs after killing them.

The Uttarakhand government has ordered a probe into the killing of two tiger cubs, who were found with their paws chopped off in the Shyampur range of the Haridwar forest division, officials said on Thursday.

Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal issued the order after inspecting the spot where the carcasses were found and said strictest action will be taken against the culprits.

''I have ordered a probe into the entire episode. Anyone found guilty will face stringent possible action,'' Uniyal said.

Forest officials found the carcasses of the one-year-old male and female tiger cubs on the intervening night of May 18-19.

According to the officials, poachers cut off the paws of the cubs after killing them. They also found a half-eaten buffalo carcass at the spot where the cubs were found dead.

The officials suspect that the accused applied poison to the buffalo carcass, and the tiger cubs died after consuming the poisoned meat.

A man from the nomadic Van Gujjar community has been arrested in connection with the incident, while two other accused remain at large, the officials said.