Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh forest department on Monday arrested four people in connection with poaching of the tigress in Seoni jungles. Four paws, claws, whiskers and canines that were hacked off from the dead tigress were confiscated from their possession.The tigress was killed in the Barghat jungles, making it the first big cat death of 2018.Villagers found the carcass in Dhami Jhola area of the wild cat corridor early in the morning, and raised an alarm. Since its paws were hacked off, officials suspected it to be handiwork of poachers.The wild cat corridor in Barghat range is connected to Pench Tiger Reserve. The tigress was moving from the reserve into new territory when it fell prey to poachers.On Sunday, a team of tiger strike force (TSF) members reached Seoni with dog squad and launched a massive search operation.After initial investigations, they zeroed in on some suspects. During interrogation they confessed to killing the tigress and mutilating its body.Accused were identified as Radheshyam Sahu, Ghanshyam Sahu, Rajendra Vishwakarma and Sukhram. They told officials that the tigress had killed Sahu's cow a week ago. "Sahu and his brother poisoned the leftover kill knowing that the tigress would return to the spot. The big cat had died within a few minutes after eating the poisoned cow," said officials.Rajendra and Sukhram chopped its paws, claws, whiskers and the jaw and distributed equally among them. All four are residents of Sukhkhor village which is located a few distances from the spot where carcass of the tigress was recovered. Tigress was killed on January 5.The carcass was found in compartment 493 on Kanha-Pench tiger corridor. It's around 40km from the district headquarters of Seoni.

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