Another PM report counters darting, self-defence theory

Nagpur: After four veterinarians discarding tranquillizing of T1 by Maharashtra forest department staffer before she was gunned down by sharp shooter Asghar Ali Khan, another independent autopsy report by PCCF (wildlife) representative disapproved the twin theories that the dart was fired before shooting the tigress in self-defence.
The post-mortem report, a copy of which is with TOI, was submitted to PCCF (wildlife) AK Misra, FDCM managing director N Rambabu, NTCA officials and APCCF (wildlife) Sunil Limaye on Sunday. T1 was shot dead on the night of November 2 and autopsy was conducted on November 3 at Gorewada Rescue Centre here.

Wildlife biologist with Wildlife Conservation Trust (WCT) Milind Pariwakam, who was among the seven-member team performing post-mortem, in his independent report, has observed that a tranquillizer dart was found embedded on the left thigh, which was secured by a strap to the carcass probably to secure it while transportation from the field.

The dart was found with cannula, piercing the skin on the left thigh. It was empty and no liquid was observed inside the barrel. The plunger of the dart was seen fully pushed towards cannula of the dart.

The skin from the darting site was cut by the veterinarian in a rough square shape and sample of skin with cannula of dart lodged in the skin has been sent for further forensic analysis.

As observed, the cannula of the dart had gone into the sub-cutaneous layer and had not penetrated into the underlying muscle. There was no haemorrhage observed in the muscles at the darting site. This is also proved from the pictures of the inner skin where dart was placed.

“A dart fired from a tranquillizing rifle always leaves a significant and obvious haematoma, which was not observed in T1 case,” says the report. This is also seen from the pictures of the inner skin where dart was placed.

Chief wildlife warden AK Misra said, “All these reports are speculations. Now that two high-level committees have been set up, I don’t see any point in this. I have not received the report as most of the time I was in Pandharkawda.”

“Observations of both the autopsy reports suspect that dart was not fired from the gun and placed manually. NTCA protocols also state that every tiger death be treated with suspicion until proven otherwise via detailed investigations post-mortem,” said wildlife experts.

The WCT representative has also proved critics wrong by observing that T1 was not killed in self-defence, though it is not apparently mentioned in the report but states that the bullet hit left flank. It adds that a square sample of skin around the bullet entry point was dissected and preserved for ballistic analysis. The report supported by 3D diagrams mentions that the bullet trajectory was at an obtuse angle to T1’s body.

The report also allegedly disapproves self-defence claims made by Hyderabad-based shooter Khan. As per the report, the path from the entry wound to the place where bullet was lodged indicates that the animal was facing away from the person who fired the bullet.

The weapon remains unidentified as it was not made available at the post-mortem site. The empty cartridge was also not available for post-mortem. Forest officials said Khan has not yet submitted weapon used to kill T1.

The report says heart of the animal was found intact and with some blood inside the chambers. T1 died as its cranial aorta was ruptured and trachea damaged as the bullet had pierced the apical lobe of the left lung. The right lung was also found damaged due to the bullet injury.

Tissue samples as per protocols were extracted. Stomach had no solid contents and its both large and small intestines were empty except for some fluid and gas.

Meanwhile, the histo-pathological and toxicology analysis of tissue, uterus, heart, lung, blood from thoracic cavity and heart chamber, urine samples from bladder, kidney, spleen, brain, intestinal contents, pieces of skin and underlying sub-cutaneous layers from thigh, bone fragments where bullet hit the bone, are awaited and will throw more light on T1 killing.