Bhopal, Nov 2 (IANS) The Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two brothers from Morena in connection with the killing of the male cheetah KNG-22 at Kuno National Park and recovered the licensed double-barrel gun used in the incident.

According to the STF, the main accused, Bhagwan Singh, confessed during interrogation that he, along with his brother Preetam Singh, had gone to the forest near Nitanwas village in the Vijaypur area on October 24 for hunting.

When a cheetah appeared, he fired at it with his licensed gun.

Acting on Bhagwan Singh’s statement, the STF, with the help of Morena police, took Preetam Singh into custody. Both accused were later taken to the incident site for further questioning.

On their pointing out, the double-barrel licensed gun was recovered from the forest under the Morena forest division. The STF had already arrested him on 31 October and presented him before the Vijaypur (Sheopur) court.

After securing two days’ custody, the police interrogated Bhagwan Singh. He confessed that he was present in the jungle near Nitanwas along with his brother Preetam Singh for poaching on 24 October 2026.

He also confessed to shooting at the Cheetah with his licensed “Bharmar” firearm. The STF has recovered the weapon and arrested his brother on his tip.

The STF has registered a case against both brothers under Sections 9 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2022). So far, the investigation has not revealed any involvement in illegal wildlife trade or an organised gang.

Both accused were produced before the Vijaypur court on Monday and sent to jail.

Earlier, following the death of the cheetah due to pellet injuries, the Chief Conservator of Forests, Gwalior, had suspended four forest personnel for negligence in monitoring and security.

The suspended staff include two rangers, one deputy ranger and one beat guard. The 19-month-old male cheetah KNG-22 was found severely injured in compartment number 748 of the Sheopur forest division on October 25.

Despite treatment and surgery at a veterinary facility in Jabalpur, where five pellets were removed from its body, the animal succumbed to its injuries on October 27.

The incident had prompted the state government to form a four-member Special Task Force and the Centre to depute a high-level team to investigate the first reported shooting of a cheetah in India in nearly eight decades.

–IANS

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