The Madhya Pradesh government has constituted a Special Task Force (STF), comprising forest and police officers, to investigate the shooting of a 19-month-old male cheetah at Kuno National Park, the Forest Department confirmed on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. The cheetah, identified as KNG22, died during treatment on Tuesday morning after five firearm pellets were recovered from its body during emergency surgery.

How KNG22 Was Found and What Followed

The animal was rescued on 25 October from compartment No. 748 of the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division. An initial X-ray examination revealed multiple foreign bodies lodged at different locations inside the cheetah's body, prompting authorities to transfer it to the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology at Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University (NDVSU) in Jabalpur for detailed investigation and intensive treatment.

A subsequent CT scan revealed the foreign bodies had damaged the animal's internal organs, musculoskeletal system, and nervous system. Despite emergency surgery and sustained efforts by the veterinary team, KNG22 could not be saved.

What the STF Will Investigate

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Samita Rajora confirmed the STF's constitution, stating: 'Emergency surgery was performed, during which five firearm pellets were recovered from his body.'

The task force is expected to establish the precise circumstances in which the animal was shot and determine whether any individual bears criminal responsibility. The Forest Department has not yet disclosed details about a suspected shooter or named any accused in the case.

India's Cheetah Count After KNG22's Death

With the death of KNG22, India's total cheetah population has dropped to 58 — including 52 at Kuno National Park, four at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and two at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, according to the Forest Department statement.

Notably, this is the latest in a series of cheetah deaths that have drawn scrutiny toward the programme's protective infrastructure since reintroduction began. KNG22 was among the youngest animals in the Kuno population, making the incident particularly significant for conservationists tracking the long-term viability of the herd.

Background: India's Cheetah Reintroduction Programme

Kuno National Park, located in Sheopur district, is the centrepiece of India's cheetah reintroduction programme, which was launched in September 2022 with the translocation of animals from Namibia. A second batch was subsequently brought from South Africa to help establish a self-sustaining population. The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952, and the programme represents the country's most ambitious large-carnivore conservation effort in decades.

The STF probe is expected to determine whether the shooting was deliberate or accidental, and whether systemic gaps in perimeter security or community relations contributed to the incident. Its findings could have far-reaching implications for how the programme is managed going forward.