The male tiger cub was rescued from compartment no. 1407 in Sindewahi range on Saturday evening after a huge crowd gathered to watch it. The cub, exhausted from hunger and dehydration, died within a couple of hours of its rescue. Autopsy was carried out on Sunday morning at Bramhapuri by a team of doctors, including veterinary wildlife officer, TATR, Dr RavikantKhobragade, Dr Prashant Deshmukh and one other local vet.

Dr Khobragade confirmed that the cub had died due to dehydration leading to hypovoltemic shock. Vets collected samples for forensic and histopathological analysis to confirm the cause of death. State wildlife board member BanduDhotre and wildlife activist Aditya Joshi supervised the post mortem as representatives of PCCF and NTCA.

Meanwhile, forest officials have launched search operations in Sindewahi range to verify the well-being of the mother tigress and other cubs. Several teams of forest staffers and labourers have began combing the area, while 20 camera traps were installed to get a glimpse of the mother tigress and other cubs.

Officers claimed that they are going to install another 20 camera traps on Monday in the area.