Dibrugarh, Feb 5: Two days after a police personnel was mauled to death in Arunachal Pradesh’s Mayodia area, a sub-adult female tiger was found dead in Lower Dibang Valley district on Thursday, triggering fresh questions over the circumstances surrounding both incidents.
According to officials, the tiger bore a gunshot injury. Authorities have not yet confirmed who fired the shot or whether the animal was linked to the earlier fatal attack.
Head Constable Chikseng Manpang of Arunachal Pradesh Police was killed in a suspected tiger attack on February 2 while riding his motorcycle through the Mayodia area. Manpang, a resident of Manfaiseng village in Namsai district and posted as a radio operator at Roing Police Station, was attacked during the evening hours. His mutilated body was recovered the following day by a joint team of police and forest officials after an extensive search operation.
Following the incident, the Lower Dibang Valley district administration issued public safety advisories, restricting night travel — particularly for two-wheelers — along vulnerable stretches near the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary due to reports of tiger movement in the area.
The discovery of the tiger’s body with a gunshot wound has intensified speculation over possible retaliatory killing, though officials have not confirmed any such angle. Forest and police authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of death and examine whether there is any direct link between the tiger found dead and the earlier fatal attack.
Meanwhile, the incident has sparked debate among environmental observers. An environmentalist alleged that habitat destruction and human encroachment are pushing wildlife into closer contact with settlements, increasing the likelihood of conflict.
“First humans destroy their habitat, and then when animals stray out in search of space or prey, they are killed. Earlier, such incidents were rare in Mayodia. Shrinking forests are forcing wildlife out,” he said, calling for a thorough investigation into both the attack and the tiger’s death.
He also questioned whether the situation could have been handled differently. “If there was confirmed tiger movement, the forest department should have intensified monitoring or attempted tranquilisation instead of allowing the situation to escalate. Proper investigation is needed,” he added.
Authorities, however, have urged restraint, stating that conclusions should only be drawn after forensic examination and official findings.
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