According to a park official, "The elephant had been spotted with wounds, visibly inflicted by a tiger about five or six days back.

"We were keeping track of the animal. Finally we found him lying dead in the forest quite close to the Dhikala complex."

The elephant was found to have suffered multiple wounds on its trunk and it was amply evident that these were sustained in a battle with the tigress, which is suspected to have also suffered wounds.

The tigress had been spotted with two cubs. These cubs are believed to have been with the mother during the fight with the elephant.

Park officials were of the view that the elephant was unable to eat on account of the wounds on its trunk and therefore turned quite weak.

Asked why officials did not tranquillise the elephant to treat its wounds, Uttaranchal chief wildlife warden C.K. Chandola told IANS: "It is usually preferred that animals living in their natural habitat find their own natural means to heal themselves.

"No one thought that the wounds would prove fatal," he said.

"Special teams had been detailed to keep track of the movements of the tigress to assess the nature and kind of wounds it had received in the fight with the elephant."

While there is no evidence of the big cat turning into a man-eater, Chandola did not rule out the possibility.

"Irreparable wounds or old age and infirmity can force a tiger to turn to man-eating. We have to keep a strict vigil."