Six forest staff suspended after cheetah dies from firearm pellet injuries
Three suspects have been arrested and weapons recovered following the death of a 19-month-old cheetah in Madhya Pradesh, according to Deccan Chronicle.
Six members of the forest department have been suspended following the death of a 19-month-old cheetah, KNG22, in Madhya Pradesh. The animal died on October 27 due to injuries caused by firearm pellets, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle.
The suspended personnel include a deputy ranger, two rangers, two forest guards, and one other staff member, a senior forest officer said on Saturday. This action follows the discovery of the cub of female cheetah Nirva in the Pahargarh area of the Morena Territorial Forest Division on October 26.
The injured animal was found approximately 100 km from the Kuno National Park core area and died during treatment at a veterinary facility in Jabalpur. An X-ray of the body revealed five pellets inside the cheetah, indicating it had been shot.
Authorities have arrested three suspects allegedly involved in the shooting and recovered weapons. A forensic team has reached the location where the animal was shot, a forest officer said.
The incident is being investigated by a Special Task Force formed by the Madhya Pradesh government and a Central team from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Following the death of KNG22, the cheetah population in India is 58.