Cheetah Shot Dead in Morena, Central Probe Begins

A 19-month-old male cheetah was found injured in Morena's territorial forest area on October 25. It was rescued and taken to a veterinary facility in Jabalpur for treatment. During surgery, veterinarians found five pellets lodged inside its body. The cheetah died on Tuesday morning.

The Centre has sent a high-level team to investigate the death. The team includes the inspector general of forests, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), additional director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and WCCB regional deputy director. They will examine security protocols and protection measures.

Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has petitioned the Jabalpur High Court, seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the cheetah's death. He alleged repeated security lapses and demanded suspension of Kuno National Park field director Uttam Sharma and district forest officer Thirukural.

This is the first reported incident of a cheetah being killed by gunfire. The incident has triggered a high-level central probe to prevent similar incidents in the future.