3 November 2026 | Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh
The Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two brothers in connection with the fatal shooting of a 19-month-old cheetah born at Kuno National Park. Investigators have also recovered the vintage double-barrel firearm allegedly used in the incident, marking a major breakthrough in the investigation.
The young male cheetah, identified as KNG-22, was reportedly shot after the accused mistook it for a leopard during a hunting expedition in the forests of Sheopur district. The animal later succumbed to its injuries despite receiving specialised veterinary treatment.
The arrests have brought fresh attention to the threats faced by cheetahs when they venture beyond the boundaries of protected areas.
Two Brothers Arrested After Interstate Investigation
The accused have been identified as Bhagwan Singh and Pritam Singh, residents of Morena district.
According to the STF, Bhagwan Singh was arrested on October 31. During interrogation, he allegedly disclosed that he and his brother had gone hunting near Nitanwas village in Vijaypur area of Sheopur district on October 24.
He reportedly admitted to firing at the animal with his licensed double-barrel muzzle-loading firearm after mistaking it for a leopard. The brothers allegedly fled after the shooting.
Acting on the information provided during interrogation, investigators took Pritam Singh into custody. The STF, assisted by Morena Police, subsequently recovered the firearm from a forest area in neighbouring Morena district.
Both accused were taken to the suspected crime scene for identification as part of the investigation.
Five Pellets Recovered from the Cheetah’s Body
KNG-22 was found seriously injured by a monitoring team on October 25 in the territorial forest area of Morena, outside Kuno National Park.
The animal was rescued and initially taken to Kuno before being shifted to Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University in Jabalpur for advanced treatment.
A medical examination revealed extensive injuries. During emergency surgery, veterinarians recovered five firearm pellets from its body. A CT scan had also indicated damage to internal organs and the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Despite medical intervention, the young cheetah died early on October 27.
The recovery of the firearm is expected to assist investigators in ballistic examination and in establishing its connection with the pellets recovered from the animal.
No Organised Wildlife Crime Link Established So Far
The STF has stated that its investigation so far has not established any involvement of commercial illegal wildlife trade or an organised wildlife crime network.
A four-member team comprising forest and police officials was constituted by the Madhya Pradesh government to investigate the incident. Investigators developed an informer network, conducted searches and used assistance from a dog squad and personnel from the Morena and Sheopur forest divisions.
The case has been registered under Sections 9 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as amended in 2022.
The investigation is important not only to establish individual responsibility but also to determine whether hunting activity in the surrounding landscape poses a wider threat to wildlife.
A Warning That Predates Project Cheetah
The killing has revived concerns about the availability of firearms and hunting activity in villages surrounding Kuno.
The original Project Cheetah action plan had already identified the prevalence of country-made firearms, bushmeat consumption and trapping as potential threats in the wider landscape.
A survey of 41 villages around Kuno had recorded firearm ownership or the presence of guns in 21 villages. Experts had also cautioned that the actual number of weapons could be higher because respondents might not disclose illegal possession.
The plan had recommended stronger coordination between forest officials and police, intelligence networks, additional patrolling and action against hunting and trapping.
The death of KNG-22 raises questions about how effectively these recommendations have been implemented.
The Challenge of Protecting Cheetahs Beyond Kuno
Cheetahs released into the Kuno landscape do not remain confined to the national park. Young animals, in particular, may travel considerable distances while exploring and establishing territories.
KNG-22 was found injured in the territorial forest landscape of Morena, highlighting the difficulty of protecting animals once they move into areas where routine wildlife protection arrangements may be weaker.
Radio collars and monitoring teams help track animal movements, but tracking alone cannot prevent a shooting. Protection also requires effective local intelligence, coordination with police, surveillance of vulnerable areas and action against illegal hunting.
The incident is especially concerning because the wider landscape is expected to provide space for cheetahs to disperse and establish populations beyond the core protected area.
A Setback for Project Cheetah
KNG-22 was born to the female cheetah Nirva at Kuno National Park. His death is a setback for Project Cheetah, which was launched in September 2022 to re-establish the species in India after its extinction in the country was declared in 1952.
The loss of a young, India-born cheetah also underlines that successful breeding inside protected areas is only one part of the conservation challenge.
For the project to succeed over the long term, animals must be able to move through the surrounding landscape without facing threats from hunting, habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.
The arrests are an important step towards accountability. However, the larger test will be whether the incident leads to stronger protection across the Kuno-Morena landscape and prevents similar tragedies in the future.
Source: The Times of India; The Indian Express; Madhya Pradesh Special Task Force statement, as reported by news agencies.
Last Updated: 3 November 2026
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