NEW DELHI, Dec 12: Shock has gripped Corbett National Park following the discovery of two dead tigers - both poisoned - in the area during the past one week. Officials say it's a clear case of poaching. Confirming the deaths, Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttar Pradesh RL Singh says he doesn't rule out finding more carcasses in the days to come.

In fact, according to reliable sources, the body of yet another tiger - making it the third victim - was discovered on Wednesday evening in the Corbett Tiger Reserve.

Singh says the news of the third death hasn't reached him yet but he will "not be surprised" if it turned out to be true.

Although senior forest officials monitoring investigations claim the tigers were poisoned by poachers, they are all shell-shocked. For, it's the first time that tiger-killing of such magnitude has struck a national park that is supposed to set standards of quality management for other parks and sanctuaries of India. Corbett Park, touted as the best in Asia, was incidentally the launching pad for Project Tiger, 25 years ago.

Chief Warden Singh told The Indian Express today that after conducting the post-mortem, they have sent the viscera of the two tigers to the forensic laboratory at Agra's veterinary college. "There was no bullet wound or any other external injury on the bodies.

The tigers have obviously been poisoned. But only a detailed analyses of the viscera can tell us about the poison used," he said.

The first tiger was found dead on the Bijrani-Amdanda road passing through the reserve. Following the discovery, the national park's field director RC Gautam has ordered intensive combing of the adjoining areas. Two days later (on December 7), the forest staff stumbled upon another dead tiger. The third dead tiger, sources said, was found on December 10.

The same killing technique was used in all three cases. They all died after consuming meat laced with poison - a technique common all over India but tried for the first time in Corbett Park. This is what is giving the UP forest officials sleepless nights.

Singh admits that the Park's "intelligence system" -- aimed at pre-empting any move by the poachers - had weakened considerably in the recent years.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.