VALPOI: Days after her two other cubs were found dead, the carcasses of a tigress and a cub were recovered from Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Sattari taluka, the Forest Department informed on Wednesday.

The department recovered the carcass of a tigress and the cub was found within one-km radius, during a combing operation, the department official said.

Two of her other cubs were found dead on Sunday and Tuesday, he added.

On December 23, last year, the tigress and her three cubs were captured roaming in the area on the cameras installed by the department.

The carcasses were found in the forests of Golavali village in Sattari's Thane-Dongurli panchayat.

The department officials have rounded up four suspects, who are being questioned for their alleged involvement in the crime.

The Department prima facie suspects that the big cats were poisoned in a "revenge killing" for preying on cattle in the village.

A combing operation has been launched in the Mhadei forests to look for more carcasses of tigers, the official said.

A case has been registered against unidentified persons under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar, who has been camping near the site, lamented that the department did not have proper infrastructure to conduct post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane demanded that Central team investigate into the deaths.

Rane has asked Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar to send a central team for investigation.

Earlier in the day, Rane tweeted, "With reference to the two cubs that have been found dead at Mahadayi wildlife Sanctuary, Sattari, I would request the Union Minister for Forest Shri @PrakashJavdekar to intervene and send a central team to conduct a detailed investigation into the matter."