Two tiger cubs killed by a train near Lohara forest area in Chandrapur. (ANI photo) Two tiger cubs killed by a train near Lohara forest area in Chandrapur. (ANI photo)

Two tiger cubs, aged around 8-10 months, were crushed under a train in the Junona range of forest in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra Thursday morning.

Chandrapur Chief Conservator Forest (CCF) Rama Rao confirmed the death of the two cubs. “The cubs were said to be about 8-10 month old and were crushed under the Chandrapur-Gondia train. Further details are awaited,” he said.

In another development, the two cubs of tigress T1 or Avni — believed to be responsible for deaths of several people— who was killed on November 2 in Pandharkawda, were sighted today near Vihirgaon village. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (APCCF) Sunil Limaye said, “Our teams have gone to the spot and we hope to catch them. They were seen walking together, which means they are fine.”

The killing of the tigress Avni had triggered a war of words within the BJP, with Union Woman and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi lashing out at Mungantiwar over what she termed as a “ghastly murder”.

Of the 13 people killed in tiger attacks in the Pandharkawda divisional forest in over two years, at least five deaths were attributed to Avni. Asghar Ali, who shot the tigress, is the son of well-known sharpshooter Nawab Shafat Ali. The six-year-old tigress is survived by her two cubs who are 10 months old.

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