Tigress death sparks forest vs. rail clash

The death of a tigress near railway tracks in Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa buffer zone has led to a significant dispute between forest authorities and the Northeast Railway's Lucknow division. The tigress's carcass was discovered on Wednesday morning near the Bhikhampur Halt, prompting initial suspicions of a train collision.

Forest officials pointed to preliminary postmortem results, which suggested extensive internal injuries consistent with a high-velocity impact. They also raised concerns about trains exceeding the prescribed speed limit in the sensitive forest corridor, noting past incidents on the same stretch.

However, the railway division has categorically denied any train involvement. Their initial probe report found no physical evidence of a collision, such as drag marks or blood stains. Loco pilots and track staff also reported no incidents or damage to trains that passed through the area during the relevant hours.

Further forensic analysis of viscera samples is underway. Both sides are awaiting detailed findings to ascertain the exact cause of the tigress's death, while concerns about wildlife safety in the region persist.