Four Madhya Pradesh forest officials suspended after cheetah killed at Kuno Sanctuary

Four forest department officials in Madhya Pradesh have been placed under suspension after a cheetah was shot dead inside Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary. The disciplinary action was taken by the state government in response to the incident, which raised concerns among wildlife conservationists.
The cheetah, part of the ongoing reintroduction programme aimed at restoring the species in the region, was reportedly killed in a shooting that violated sanctuary regulations. Authorities have launched an inquiry to determine the circumstances and identify any procedural lapses.
The suspension underscores the government's commitment to protecting the fragile cheetah population and enforcing strict penalties for violations within protected areas. Further legal or administrative steps may follow based on the inquiry's findings.
Conservation groups have called for heightened surveillance and stricter enforcement to prevent similar incidents as the cheetah project progresses.
The Kuno sanctuary, located in the Morena district, is a focal point of India's effort to re-establish a viable cheetah population after the species' extinction in the wild decades ago.