Hyderabad, Oct 6 (IANS): Forest officials in Telangana's Mulugu district have arrested five tribals for killing a tiger in Tadvai forests.

The district forest officials apprehended five men from Guttikoya tribe from Lingala village and recovered snares, knives, axes used to kill the tiger. The body remains of the tiger were also recovered from their possession.

The arrests were made after Forest Range officer, Lingala received credible information about possible whereabouts of some Guttikoyas involved in the incident.

Forest Division Officer Tadvai, Shiv Aasheesh Singh, Forest Range Officers Shirisha, Gowtham Reddy, Sathish and staff conducted intensive cordon and search operation on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

Investigation party located the hutments of Guttikoyas in the village, and cordoned off the area. Search of the hutments revealed the Guttikoyas. Upon questioning by the local panchas and forest officials they revealed their names.

They have been identified as Madakam Ramu, Muchaki Andha, Madakam Sathish, Kovasi Iduma and Muchaki Rajkumar, all residents of Chintala Katapur.

The accused are involved in disposal of tiger remains and extraction of the skin, fat from tiger. District Forest Officer (DFO) said a wildlife offence case has been registered against the accused and they will be presented before magistrate for remand.

Cordon and search operations involving forest officials, police officials and sniffer dogs are underway in Mulugu district and investigation is under progress, DFO said.

The accused reportedly killed the tiger after laying traps. The animal was killed two weeks ago but the remains without the skin and nails were found on Sunday. The search operations were launched after reports that some people were going to Chhattisgarh to sell skin and nails of a tiger.