Two brothers were arrested for allegedly shooting Indian-born cheetah KNG-22 in Madhya Pradesh. The gun was recovered, while investigators ruled out links to organised wildlife crime.The 19-month-old cheetah, officially known as Kuno Nirva Gaurav or KNG-22, was found injured in compartment number 748 of the Sheopur forest division on October 25.
Sheopur,Nov 2, 2026 22:58 ISTTwo men have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the shooting of an Indian-born cheetah in Madhya Pradesh in October, news agency Press Trust of India reported, citing forest department officials. The firearm allegedly used in the shooting has also been recovered.The 19-month-old cheetah, officially known as Kuno Nirva Gaurav or KNG-22, was found injured in compartment number 748 of the Sheopur forest division on October 25.
It died after two days of treatment, Cheetah Project director Uttam Sharma told PTI.Pellets from a firearm were found in the cheetah's body during surgery. The Madhya Pradesh government then formed a four-member Special Task Force comprising forest department and police personnel to investigate the incident, officials said.The task force, assisted by the Morena police and the forest departments of Sheopur and Morena, developed a network of informers and deployed a dog squad during searches in the forest.
The investigation led to the arrest of Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Navalpura-Behrara village in Morena district, on October 31. A court in Vijaypur in Sheopur district remanded him in forest and police custody for two days, officials told PTI.During questioning, Singh allegedly told investigators that he and his brother, Pritam Singh, had gone hunting in a forest near Nitanwas village in Vijaypur on October 24.
According to the information allegedly provided by Singh, he spotted a cheetah in the area, fired at it with his licensed double-barrel muzzle-loading gun and fled, officials said.The task force subsequently took Pritam Singh into custody. The firearm allegedly used in the shooting was recovered from the Morena forest division.A case has been registered against the brothers under sections 9 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act for hunting and other offences.
Officials said the investigation had found no involvement of illegal wildlife trade or organised wildlife crime networks.KNG-22 was the second cub born in the second litter of Nirva, which was brought to India from South Africa on February 18, 2023. Its father, Gaurav, which has since died, was brought from Namibia on September 17, 2022.The two brothers remain accused of shooting KNG-22, while investigators have recovered the gun allegedly used in the incident and ruled out links to organised wildlife crime networks.- Ends