Kuno cheetah KNG22 shot dead: Centre sends high-level probe team to MP
Synopsis
A 19-month-old cheetah under Project Cheetah was shot with five firearm pellets in Madhya Pradesh's territorial forests and died despite emergency surgery — the most alarming security failure since India's reintroduction programme began. With only 58 cheetahs left in the country, the Centre has now deployed NTCA and WCCB officers for an on-ground probe, while the state has formed a Special Task Force, raising hard questions about the protection perimeter around ranging cheetahs.
Key Takeaways
KNG22 , a 19-month-old male cheetah and offspring of 'Nirva', was found injured on 25 October in Morena's territorial forests outside Kuno National Park's protected boundary.
Emergency surgery at Jabalpur recovered five firearm pellets from the animal's body; KNG22 died on 27 October despite intensive care.
The Centre has deputed a high-level team comprising NTCA and WCCB officers to conduct an on-ground investigation.
The Madhya Pradesh government has separately constituted a Special Task Force (STF) of Forest and Police officers to probe the incident.
India's total cheetah population now stands at 58 : 52 at Kuno, 4 at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and 2 at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve.
The probe will examine security protocol implementation and recommend measures to prevent similar attacks on reintroduced cheetahs.
The Union government has deputed a high-level central team to investigate the death of KNG22, a 19-month-old male cheetah at Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, after the animal sustained multiple firearm pellet injuries, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) confirmed on Wednesday, 28 October 2026. The cheetah, an offspring of 'Nirva', was found injured outside the park's protected boundary and died despite emergency surgery — marking a serious blow to Project Cheetah, India's flagship initiative to reintroduce the species after its extinction in the country.
How KNG22 Was Found and What Followed
KNG22 was discovered injured on 25 October in the territorial forests of Morena, outside the protected area of Kuno National Park. The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department rescued the animal from the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division the same day and transported it for emergency treatment.
The cheetah was subsequently moved to the veterinary facility in Jabalpur, where it underwent emergency surgery. During the procedure, surgeons recovered five firearm pellets from its body. Medical examinations confirmed multiple internal injuries consistent with the recovered pellets. Despite intensive veterinary intervention, KNG22 succumbed to its injuries on 27 October.
The Central Probe Team and Its Mandate
The MoEFCC stated in a press release: '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. Viewing the matter with utmost gravity, the Centre 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 of the Big Cat.'
The central team comprises the Inspector General of Forests, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Additional Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and the Regional Deputy Director of the WCCB. The team has been tasked with conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the cheetah's death, examining all available evidence, and coordinating closely with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department to ensure strict and swift action.
Notably, the investigation will also scrutinise the implementation of existing security protocols and the adequacy of monitoring and protection measures in place to prevent similar incidents.
State-Level Response and Coordination
The Madhya Pradesh government had already constituted a Special Task Force (STF) comprising Forest and Police officers to probe the incident before the Centre stepped in. The central team will work in coordination with state authorities to establish the precise circumstances of the shooting and assess what measures are needed to strengthen cheetah protection going forward.
The team will submit its findings and recommendations to the Ministry, which will then issue further directions to the state government and field authorities based on the investigation's outcome.
Project Cheetah: What KNG22's Death Means for the Population
KNG22's death has raised urgent concerns about the safety of cheetahs under Project Cheetah, which reintroduced the species to India after it was declared extinct in the country. Following this death, the total number of cheetahs in India now stands at 58. Of these, 52 are at Kuno National Park, four at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and two at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve.
This is among the most serious incidents since the reintroduction programme began, given that KNG22 was shot in territorial forests outside the park's protected zone — pointing to a critical gap in the security perimeter around the cheetahs' ranging area. The probe's findings and subsequent policy directions will be closely watched by conservationists and wildlife authorities alike.
Point of View
But protection protocols have not kept pace with that reality. A dual-agency investigation — central team plus state STF — signals the seriousness of the breach, but it also reflects a fragmented response architecture. With India's cheetah count at a precarious 58, every unnatural death is statistically significant. The more uncomfortable question that the probe must answer is not just who fired, but why a cheetah was accessible to a firearm in the first place — and whether ranging corridors are being adequately patrolled.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to cheetah KNG22 at Kuno National Park?
KNG22, a 19-month-old male cheetah, was found with multiple firearm pellet injuries on 25 October in territorial forests near Morena, outside Kuno National Park's protected area. Despite emergency surgery that recovered five pellets and intensive veterinary care in Jabalpur, he died on 27 October.
Why has the Centre sent a probe team for KNG22's death?
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has dispatched a high-level team — comprising NTCA and WCCB officials — because the shooting directly threatens Project Cheetah, India's reintroduction programme. The Centre has cited the 'critical importance' of the project and the need to ensure the 'highest standards of protection' for reintroduced cheetahs.
Who is on the central investigation team for the Kuno cheetah death?
The team comprises the Inspector General of Forests from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Additional Director of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), and the Regional Deputy Director of the WCCB. They will coordinate with the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department and the state's Special Task Force.
How many cheetahs remain in India after KNG22's death?
India's cheetah population now stands at 58 following KNG22's death. Of these, 52 are at Kuno National Park, four at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and two at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve.
What is Project Cheetah and why does this death matter?
Project Cheetah is India's initiative to reintroduce cheetahs, a species declared extinct in the country, by bringing animals from Namibia and South Africa. KNG22's death by shooting in an unprotected forest zone raises serious concerns about security gaps in the programme, particularly for cheetahs that range beyond designated park boundaries.
