# Sheopur Cheetah Death: 19-Month-Old Cub KNG22 Dies After 5 Gun Pellets Found, MP Govt Orders STF Probe > A 19-month-old male cheetah named KNG22 passed away after five gun pellets were extracted from its body during emergency surgery in Jabalpur. The Madhya Pradesh government has formed a Special Task Force (STF) to investigate potential poaching activity in the region. **Type:** article · **Category:** Madhya Pradesh · **Published:** 2026-10-27 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/madhya-pradesh/sheopur-men-19-mahine-ke-chite-kng22-ki-mauta-sharira-se-mile-5-chharre-sarakara-ne-banai-stf-52312 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Kuno National Park, Cheetah KNG22, Sheopur News, Madhya Pradesh Wildlife, STF Investigation, Project Cheetah, Jabalpur NDVSU A distressing incident has emerged from the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division of Madhya Pradesh, where a 19-month-old male cheetah identified as KNG22 died while undergoing medical treatment. Emergency surgical procedures conducted on the injured animal led to the recovery of five gun pellets embedded in its body. The discovery of firearm projectiles inside a protected big cat has raised critical questions regarding wildlife protection protocols and poaching threats in the region. In response, the state government has constituted a dedicated Special Task Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. ## Rescue Operation and Initial Diagnosis According to an official press release issued by the forest department, the young male cheetah was located in an injured condition on 25 October 2026 within compartment number 748 of the Sheopur Territorial Forest Division. The cub was identified as the 19-month-old offspring of the female cheetah Nirva. Forest officials immediately secured the area and initiated medical evaluations. Preliminary X-ray examinations revealed multiple foreign metal objects lodged in various parts of the cub's anatomy. Recognizing the severity of the trauma, officials arranged for the animal to be transferred to Jabalpur for specialized veterinary care. ## Medical Trauma and Surgical Findings The wounded cub was admitted to the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology at Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University (NDVSU) in Jabalpur. Advanced CT scans conducted by the veterinary medical team uncovered alarming internal damage. The embedded metallic pellets had inflicted extensive trauma to the cheetah's internal organs, musculoskeletal system, and central nervous system. Surgeons performed an emergency operation to extract five gun pellets from the animal. Despite intensive medical intervention, the severe internal damage proved fatal, and the young cheetah succumbed to its injuries early in the morning. ## Livestock Incident at Bamori Village The circumstances surrounding the cheetah's injury appear closely linked to an incident reported in Bamori village, located in Sheopur district. At approximately 5:00 AM on Sunday, two cheetahs reportedly entered the courtyard of a home on the outskirts of the village and preyed upon two tethered calves. Shortly after this predation event, reports emerged regarding Nirva's injured 19-month-old cub, prompting swift mobilization by the forest department rescue team. It is suspected that the firearm attack occurred during or immediately after the livestock encounter. ## Government Action and STF Formation The confirmation of gunshot injuries on a reintroduced cheetah has put wildlife authorities under immense pressure. Addressing the grave nature of the incident, the Madhya Pradesh state government established a Special Task Force (STF) comprising senior forest officials and police officers. The STF has been tasked with conducting field investigations across the Sheopur forest range and Bamori village to identify the weapons used, trace suspected poachers or local perpetrators, and determine the exact sequence of events that led to the shooting. ## Conservation Concerns and Current Population Status The death has sparked strong criticism from environmental activists. RTI activist Ajay Dubey accused the state government and forest administration of negligence, claiming that an active leopard poaching network had been operating in the region for a considerable time without decisive law enforcement intervention. Following this loss, India's total cheetah population stands at 58. Among these, 52 cheetahs are located in Kuno National Park, 4 reside in the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and 2 are housed at the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR). Movements of cheetahs outside designated sanctuary borders have been recorded previously, including a notable incident in which a Kuno cheetah strayed into the Ramgarh Crater area of Rajasthan's Baran district and preyed upon a domestic goat. ## What this means for you The tragic death of the young cheetah and the discovery of gunshot pellets have highlighted critical vulnerabilities in wildlife protection measures. - **Across India:** National conservation strategies under Project Cheetah will undergo stringent reviews to ensure safety. Authorities across all tiger and cheetah reserves will likely intensify anti-poaching operations and border surveillance. - **In Madhya Pradesh:** Forest authorities around Sheopur and Kuno are placing frontline staff on high alert. Measures are being reinforced to mitigate conflicts between local livestock owners and free-ranging carnivores. - **For Conservationists:** The incident raises urgent concerns regarding the protection of reintroduced species outside core zones. Project managers will need to enhance radio telemetry tracking and physical monitoring teams in peripheral forest divisions. - **Law Enforcement Impact:** Local police and forest officials are expected to launch crackdown operations against illegal firearms and suspected poaching networks. Vigilance along regional forest boundaries will be substantially increased. ## Why this happened The 19-month-old cheetah KNG22 sustained catastrophic injuries after being targeted with a firearm in the Sheopur forest division. Medical procedures confirmed that five embedded gun pellets severely compromised its internal bodily functions and caused fatal organ damage. - **Direct Cause:** The extraction of five gun pellets during emergency surgery confirmed that the cheetah was shot. The metal fragments damaged the cub's musculoskeletal framework, internal organs, and nervous system, leading to its death. - **Chain of Events:** Two cheetahs had preyed upon two calves tied in a residential courtyard in Bamori village around 5:00 AM on Sunday. Shortly after this incident, the young cub was discovered injured in compartment number 748 and immediately rushed for medical care. - **Poaching Allegations:** Activist Ajay Dubey highlighted that an active leopard poaching network had been operating in the region for an extended period. Critics point to inadequate preventive action by wildlife authorities as a contributing factor. - **Subsequent Response:** The state government has mobilized a Special Task Force (STF) combining forest and police officers to investigate the exact source of the firearm attack. The team is conducting field inquiries to pinpoint responsible parties. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. What was the primary cause of death for cheetah KNG22? Emergency surgery revealed five gun pellets lodged in the cheetah's body, which caused severe damage to its internal organs, musculoskeletal system, and nervous system. ### 2. Where was the injured cheetah treated? The cheetah was rushed to the Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology at NDVSU in Jabalpur, where doctors conducted CT scans and emergency surgery. ### 3. What action has the government taken to investigate the incident? The Madhya Pradesh state government has constituted a Special Task Force (STF) comprising police and forest department officials to probe the circumstances surrounding the shooting. ### 4. What is the current population of cheetahs in India? India currently has 58 cheetahs, which includes 52 at Kuno National Park, 4 at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and 2 at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve (VDTR). --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._