The tiger was found dead by forest officials late last night under Ghunghuti forest area's Majhgavan forest, after villagers saw vultures hovering in the sky, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) RPS Baghel told PTI.
When forest officials reached the spot, poachers who were allegedly trying to remove its teeth and nails fled the spot, leaving these behind.
Later, forest officials arrested Ram Singh (40), Ram Milan (28), Rajan (24), Sukhsen (32) and Raju (28) from Dhourai village, and a tiger skin was recovered from them. A case has been registered against them under the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972.
It appears that the tiger was electrocuted by spreading electric current by a network of wires connected to a high tension line in the area, Baghel said.
The arrested poachers said they had struck a deal to sell the tiger's skin for Rs 10,000 to youths in Sarsi village, whom the forest officials are trying to nab, along with three of their accomplices, the officer said.
This is the third incident of a tiger being killed in this manner in Madhya Pradesh in the recent past.
