Officials are probing if the poachers had killed more than one tiger.
Four suspected poachers have been arrested with body parts of a tiger and a peafowl from Garhi village in the buffer zone of Kanha Tiger Reserve near Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Sunday.
"On a tip-off, Kunwar Baiga (50), Ram Mohan Marawi (31) and Rakesh Dharbhaiayya (27) were arrested along with four nails and body parts of tiger besides remains of peafowl on the intervening night of October 6 and 7," Garhi Range Officer Shiv Kumar Kakodiya said.
He said another accused Rakesh Dhanjai (45) was arrested on Sunday on information given by the trio, and two nails and body parts of tiger were recovered from him.
"We have also recovered the implement they used in poaching," Mr Kakodiya said.
The accused were booked under the Wildlife Protection Act. He said they are investigating whether the quartet had connection with any big gang of poachers in Madhya Pradesh or outside.
The trio was produced in a court that sent them to jail, whereas Dhanjai is yet to be brought before court.
"We are getting the six nails examined to know whether they are of one striped animal or more. Right now, we cannot disclose more details of the outcome of investigation which is underway," the official said.