An adult tiger was found dead in the Guru Ghasidas National Park in Chhattisgarh's Korea district, with forest officials suspecting that the animal was poisoned to death.

According to the officials, they got information about the feline's death on Sunday night following which a team was rushed to the spot. Three people were taken into custody in connection with the carnivore's death, they said.

The carcass of the male tiger, aged 7-8 years, was found in a dense forest near Salgava village under Ramgarh forest range, the national park's director, Ranganadha Ramakrishna Y, told PTI on Tuesday.

As per another forest officer, the tiger had killed a buffalo a few days back and in an apparent bid to take revenge, some local people allegedly poisoned the carcass to target the feline. A partially eaten carcass of a buffalo was also found near the dead tiger, following which an investigation was launched into the "revenge" angle, Ramakrishna Y said.

Prima facie, it seems the tiger died after consuming the poisoned buffalo carcass. However, samples of the dead feline have been collected and sent for forensic analysis to a laboratory in Raipur to ascertain the exact cause of the death, the official said.

Based on preliminary investigation, three people have been taken into custody, he said, adding that further probe into the matter is underway.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had last year granted approval to declare the Guru Ghasidas National Park as a tiger reserve, but it is yet to be notified so, the official said.

The park is spread along the border of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and is known for its rich flora and fauna, he said.

Bilaspur-based wildlife conservationist Mansoor Khan claimed this was the first case of tiger poisoning coming to light in the Guru Ghasidas National Park, and it could have been avoided had the forest personnel acted on time.

Soon after getting information about the buffalo's death in the tiger attack, the forest staff should have started monitoring the big cat's movement. It is the duty of the ground staff to collect such information (about a tiger killing a prey in forest) and take necessary action, including providing compensation to the cattle owner, he said.

In April this year, a tigress died following a fight with a male tiger in a zoo in Bilaspur.

Earlier, the carcass of a tiger cub was found in a forest adjoining the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in Mungeli district in November last year, Khan said.

In November 2020, a tiger was found dead in the Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary in Kabirdham district, he said.