Kuno cheetah shooting raises questions over unexplained wildlife deaths, alleged poaching

Bhopal: The killing of a 19-month-old cheetah in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district has brought renewed scrutiny on earlier wildlife deaths, alleged poaching incidents and security concerns across the wider cheetah landscape. In the latest development, wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has urged the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to order a high-level investigation into what he describes as a series of unresolved cases and administrative lapses.

In a complaint sent to the NTCA on Friday, Dubey flagged eight issues concerning wildlife protection and management. These include the circumstances surrounding earlier cheetah deaths, the alleged poaching of radio-collared leopards, the disappearance of a radio-collared tigress and the deaths of sniffer dogs deployed at Kuno National Park.

One of his key demands concerns the death of male cheetah Pawan, for which the Madhya Pradesh forest department constituted an inquiry committee in August 2024. Citing an order issued by the office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) on August 30, 2024, Dubey sought the publication of the committee's findings and details of the action taken on its report.

In his complaint, Dubey asked the NTCA to make the enquiry report public. “According to Order No. 141/678, dated August 30, 2024, issued by the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh, an inquiry committee was constituted to investigate various aspects and possible causes of the death of male cheetah Pawan,” he wrote.

He added that, according to sources, Pawan's death was unnatural and that the animal was allegedly shot dead.

Dubey has also sought an investigation into the suspected poaching of cheetahs in the Pahargarh area of Morena Forest Division.
“On June 6, 2026, female cheetah KGP11, aged 27 months, was rescued in an injured condition from the Pahargarh area of Morena. She subsequently died during treatment at Palpur. There is a suspicion that she had been shot. More recently, on October 25, another case of a cheetah being shot dead came to light in the same Pahargarh area. An impartial investigation should be conducted into the entire alleged poaching network,” Dubey wrote.

He has further sought the public disclosure of post-mortem and forensic reports of cheetahs that have died in India since 2022. He has also demanded details of the memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed with South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, the countries from which cheetahs have been brought to India.
“What agreements or memoranda of understanding (MoUs) have been signed with South Africa, Namibia and Botswana under which postmortem reports are being kept confidential?” Dubey asked in his complaint.

The letter also seeks details of the action taken following the deaths of two sniffer dogs at Kuno National Park, reported in March 2024 and June 2026. Dubey has called for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding their deaths and sought details of the arrangements made for patrolling and tracking in their absence.

Another concern raised in the complaint is the alleged poaching of radio-collared leopards across the wider cheetah landscape, covering Kuno, Sheopur, Shivpuri, Morena and Sawai Madhopur. Dubey claimed that two major gangs allegedly involved in the poaching of radio-collared leopards were apprehended in 2025 and 2026.

Several of the leopards had been fitted with radio collars by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Dubey questioned why accountability had not been fixed for officials despite these incidents.

The complaint also raises concerns over the disappearance of a radio-collared tigress translocated from Panna Tiger Reserve to Madhav Tiger Reserve in Shivpuri. Dubey expressed apprehension that the tigress may have been poached and questioned why a high-level investigation had not been ordered.

The letter further alleges that the Field Director of Madhav Tiger Reserve has been holding additional charge as Field Director of the Cheetah Project at Kuno National Park for more than four years, despite the two locations being around 120 km apart. Dubey claimed that the arrangement was contrary to a Supreme Court order of November 2025 and NTCA directions, and questioned its implications for the management of the cheetah project.

Dubey has also flagged alleged delays in the payment of wages and allowances to local workers and trackers involved in ground-level security and management under the Cheetah Project. Dubey claimed that their payments had remained pending for two years and sought their immediate release.

The complaint comes amid fresh action in the cheetah death case. On Friday, the Madhya Pradesh forest department suspended six forest personnel over alleged negligence in the killing of the 19-month-old cheetah KNG22. Five firearm pellets had been recovered from the animal's body during surgery before it succumbed to its injuries on October 27.

Seeking action on the issues raised, Dubey urged the NTCA to order an impartial, high-level investigation, make relevant inquiry reports and agreements public, and initiate legal action against officials and alleged poachers found responsible.