19-month-old cheetah cub dies of gunshot injuries in MP's Kuno National Park; pellets extracted from body

The cub was rescued from Pahargarh range in Morena and brought to Kuno National Park, where he died during treatment.

A 19-month-old male cub of cheetah Nirva, which was found injured in Morena with pellet injuries, died on Tuesday, said an official.

The cub was rescued from Pahargarh range in Morena and brought to Kuno National Park, where he died during treatment. While initial reports suggested the cheetah was injured in its back after being hit by sticks, veterinary examination confirmed gunshot injuries.

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State Tiger Strike Force probing case

Jabalpur Veterinary College Dr Shobha Javre, who reached Kuno National Park and treated the animal, confirmed that pellets were extracted from the cub's body during the procedure. "The cheetah succumbed to bullet injuries, but I can't reveal further information," she said.

State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) is probing the case. Officials said that, prima facie, the cheetah was shot at by a villager but did not rule out the possibility of poaching.

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A local forest official, who is not authorised to talk to the media, said on Sunday that two cheetahs, including Nirva's cub, entered a house on the outskirts of Bamori village in Morena and killed two calves tethered in the courtyard.

“The cries of the calves woke up Somlavir Singh and his wife, who were sleeping in a makeshift shelter nearby. They raised an alarm and alerted other villagers. Later in the day, the cub was found injured in the forest area of Pahargarh range. The cheetah might have been shot by a villager,” the official added.

Also Read | MP: Injured cheetah KGP-11 rescued from Morena, under close monitoring

Wildlife activist demands CBI probe

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has demanded a CBI probe, alleging that the forest department's claims of modern protection arrangements for cheetahs stand exposed.

"It is a serious issue that despite monitoring by 18 teams, a cheetah was shot and left injured. It happened just three months after a poaching gang of leopards was caught in the area. CBI should probe the matter as it involves an international wildlife project," he added.

I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More