India, June 28 -- The shocking deaths of a tigress and her four cubs in Karnataka's Male Mahadeshwara Hills have been traced to an act of revenge by a man whose cow was killed by wild animals, forest officials revealed on Saturday. Three men - including the cow's owner - have been arrested after investigations confirmed the big cats were poisoned.

The incident, which took place in the Hugyam forest range, caused massive public outrage when the tigress and her cubs were discovered dead on Thursday. Officials said the breakthrough came when they found the poisoned carcass of a cow belonging to Maada alias Maaduraju, who was enraged after his cow, Kenchi, was killed by predators.

In retaliation, Maaduraju allegedly sprayed poison on the co...