Cheetah, 19 months old, dies at Kuno with suspected gunshot wounds; activist seeks CBI probe

A 19-month-old cheetah has died at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, with allegations that it was shot. Forest department sources said on Tuesday that several metal pellets (described as metal plates) were found lodged in the cheetah's abdomen before it died. Officials suspect the case may involve gunfire.

The male cheetah was one of the cubs of the female cheetah Nirva. On the evening of October 25, it was passing through the regional forest division in Morena district, near Sheopur, when a patrolling team found it badly injured. Every effort was made to save it. It was first brought to Kuno for treatment and then admitted to a hospital in Jabalpur for further care. Three to four metal bullets were found in its abdomen. Sources said the cheetah could not be saved even after being taken for specialised treatment.

Following the incident, wildlife activist Ajay Dubey alleged negligence in the protection of the cheetahs. He has demanded a CBI investigation into the entire matter. Dubey has also demanded the immediate removal of Kuno Field Director Uttam Sharma, DFO Thiru and SDO Amritanshu from their posts. He said the forest department had failed to ensure the safety of the animals and was therefore responsible.

Dubey said he had been warning about this danger for several years, but the Madhya Pradesh government ignored it. According to him, the Kuno field director cannot be trusted. He has sought a CBI inquiry into the suspected shooting and the cheetah's death.

The incident has raised concern over the safety of these big wild cats when they stray outside protected areas. It also poses a major challenge for the country's cheetah conservation programme. Officials said the Special Tiger Strike Force (STSF), a team set up to protect wildlife, has been deployed in the area.

Investigators are trying to establish whether the cheetah was shot with a traditional muzzle-loading gun (bharmar) or a country-made 12-bore gun. Forensic and ballistic examination is expected to show which weapon was used, and it should also help the investigation.