Madhya Pradesh HC seeks report on eight tiger deaths at Kanha National Park

A divisional bench of vacation judges Vivek Jain and Ajay Kumar Nirankari directed the state government and forest department to file their reply within two weeks.

Published on: May 30, 2026, 09:18:10 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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The Madhya Pradesh high court has sought a detailed report from the state government and forest department on the deaths of eight tigers at Kanha National Park over the past two months, directing authorities to explain the preventive and curative measures taken in connection with the incidents.

The directive came on a petition filed by Mumbai-based advocate and wildlife enthusiast Subit Chakraborty, who raised concerns over recent tiger deaths linked to Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) infections.

A divisional bench of vacation judges Vivek Jain and Ajay Kumar Nirankari directed the state government and forest department to file their reply within two weeks.

“The respondents (the state government, forest department and park management) shall come out with specific averments regarding the preventive and curative measures taken in the matter of tiger deaths in Kanha National Park, along with their reply, which shall be filed within two weeks,” said the court order.

The directive came on a petition filed by Mumbai-based advocate and wildlife enthusiast Subit Chakraborty, who raised concerns over recent tiger deaths linked to Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) infections.

The petitioner sought directions to place on record complete files relating to monitoring, veterinary reports, and other protocol-linked steps taken concerning the deaths of tigress T-141 and her cubs, tigress T-122, tiger “Digdola,” and tiger T-220 between March and May 2026.

Chakraborty further urged officials to disclose the status of implementation of the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s CDV advisories for Kanha Tiger Reserve and adjoining buffer/interface villages, including details of vaccination drives, disease surveillance, veterinary coordination, and interface-management measures.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
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

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