Jaipur:
Two male tiger cubs were found dead on Sunday under mysterious circumstances in the Ranthambhore National Park (RNP) in Rajasthan's Sawaimadhopur district, 175 km from Jaipur, a top wildlife official said.
"Carcasses of two male cubs were spotted near Taleda village located in the North of RNP along with two carcasses of goats," R N Mehrotra, the state Chief Wildlife Warden, said.
The cause of their death was yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that, however, that prima facie it seemed like a case of poisoning.
When asked to clarify whether it was a poaching incident, he said it was too early to draw such a conclusion. The carcasses have been sent for post-mortem.
The cubs, two and half years old, had killed two goats belonging to villagers and there's suspicion that the villagers poisoned the tiger cubs.
According to a census conducted by the forest department in May 2009, there were 40 tigers in and around Ranthambore National Park and Sawai Madhopur wildlife sanctuary.
Meanwhile, People for Animal (NGO) state convenor Babulal Jaju demanded that a high-level probe be ordered into the deaths by the state government.
(With PTI inputs)