Pariksha SaathiCentre deputes a high-level team to investigate the death of cheetah KNG22 of Kuno National Park from firearm pellet injuries
The Union Government has taken serious note of the death of a 19-month-old male cheetah (KNG22) of Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, due to firearm pellet injuries, and has deputed a high-level team for an on-ground investigation into the incident, given the critical importance of Project Cheetah and the need to ensure the highest standards of protection for the reintroduced population, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said on 28 October 2026. The Central team comprises the Inspector General of Forests, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Additional Director, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and the Regional Deputy Director, WCCB; it has been tasked with a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the death, examining all available evidence and coordinating closely with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department to ensure strict and swift action. The cheetah, an offspring of the cheetah Nirva, was found injured on 25 October 2026 in the territorial forests of Morena, outside the protected area of Kuno National Park; as reported by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, it was rescued from the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division the same day and given intensive veterinary care and emergency surgery at the veterinary facility in Jabalpur, during which five firearm pellets were recovered from its body. Despite the medical intervention, it succumbed to its injuries on 27 October 2026, and medical examinations corroborated multiple internal injuries associated with the recovered pellets. The State Government has already constituted a Special Task Force (STF) of Forest and Police officers to investigate the incident. The Central team will work in coordination with the State machinery, will also examine the implementation of security protocols and the monitoring and protection measures being undertaken to avoid any such incident in future, and will submit its findings and recommendations to the Ministry for further directions to the State Government and field authorities.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
Project Cheetah was launched on 17 September 2022 under the aegis of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and is spearheaded by the National Tiger Conservation Authority; it aims to reintroduce the cheetah in India after its extinction in the country. Under the project, Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh has been developed as India's first cheetah reintroduction site, as it offers ideal habitat, abundant prey and minimal human disturbance. The first batch of cheetahs arrived at Kuno in September 2022 from Namibia, the second in February 2023 from South Africa and the third in February 2026 from Botswana. During her state visit to Botswana in November 2025, President Droupadi Murmu had witnessed the symbolic donation of eight cheetahs by Botswana, which came to Kuno in February 2026. The President visited Kuno National Park on 21 June 2026, toured its Cheetah Management Area and was briefed on Project Cheetah by the Divisional Forest Officer.
Check yourself: when was Project Cheetah launched, which authority spearheads it, and from which countries did the three batches of cheetahs come to Kuno?
On 17 September 2022; the National Tiger Conservation Authority; Namibia (September 2022), South Africa (February 2023) and Botswana (February 2026).
Revision task: from this release, note the cheetah's age, ID, park and parent, where and when it was found injured and when it died, the members of the Central team and its tasks, and the State Government's Special Task Force; from the note, when Project Cheetah was launched and under which ministry and authority, why Kuno was chosen, and the source countries and months of the three batches.
Test yourself
A 19-month-old male cheetah (KNG22), whose death from firearm pellet injuries is being investigated by a high-level Central team deputed by the Union Government, belonged to which national park?
Show the answer
Answer: Kuno National Park
The cheetah KNG22, an offspring of the cheetah Nirva, was of Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. It was found injured on 25 October 2026 in the territorial forests of Morena, outside the protected area of Kuno National Park, and succumbed to its injuries on 27 October 2026; five firearm pellets were recovered from its body during surgery at the veterinary facility in Jabalpur. The Central team comprises the Inspector General of Forests, NTCA, the Additional Director, WCCB, and the Regional Deputy Director, WCCB.
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