Odisha's tiger re-introduction programme received a jolt as a three-year-old Royal Bengal Tiger brought from Madhya Pradesh died in the Satkosia Tiger Reserve in Angul district.

The Forest Department on Thursday confirmed that the big cat identified as Mahavir, who was one of the first to be translocated in the country earlier in 2018, from the Kanha Tiger Reserve died in Satkosia.

The carcass has a deep laceration wound, infested with five-day-old maggots, in the dorsal neck region of the big cat that might be its cause of death mortality, a statement from the reserve forest department said.

The site of the incidence has not been disturbed as per protocol.

"Hence, the exact reason of the mortality and time of incidence will be ascertained after conducting a detail post-mortem examination," it added.

Satkosia wildlife divisional forest officer Ramasamy P. will head the probe.
-IANS