MP High Court Asks Centre, State To Inform On Preventive Steps Taken Over Tiger Deaths In Kanha National Park
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought detailed responses from the Union and State Governments regarding the preventive and curative steps undertaken by the authorities regarding the deaths of tigers in Kanha Tiger Reserve.
The division bench of Justice Vivek Jain and Justice Ajay Kumar Nirankar, issuing notice to the respondents, observed;
"The respondents shall come out with specific averments regarding the preventive and curative measures taken by them in the matter of tiger deaths in the Kanha National Park along with their reply which shall be filed within two weeks. List immediately after summer vacation in the week commencing 22.06.2026".
Deputy Solicitor General SM Guru and Assistant Solicitor General Sunil Jain accepted notice on behalf of the Union of India and National Tiger Conservation Authority. Deputy Advocate General Swapnil Ganguly accepted notice on behalf of the State.
The court was hearing a PIL, filed by an advocate, alleged that recent tiger deaths raise serious concerns regarding compliance with statutory safeguards, disease-surveillance measures, and monitoring protocols prescribed under the NTCA framework.
The petition referred to recently deaths of tigress T-141 and her four cubs, tigress T-122 and tiger T-220 during the period of March-May 2026. These deaths were linked to the Canine Distemper Virus, a highly contagious viral disease affecting carnivores.
The petition noted that the NTCA had, as early as June 2013, warned all tiger-range states about the dangers posed by CDV as a potentially lethal disease and capable of causing respiratory illness, neurological disorders, behavioural abnormalities, loss of hunting ability and death.
The petition also relied on communications issued by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), which highlighted the prevalence of CDV among domestic dogs and recommended mandatory surveillance, routine testing during post-mortem examinations, exclusion of stray dogs from buffer zones and standardised diagnostic procedures.
The petition stated that authorities have committed serious lapses in implementing the statutory tiger conservation framework under the Wildlife Protection Act and the binding NTCA protocols. These lapses pertain to Phase IV monitoring, disease surveillance, veterinary services, and management of distressed tigers and cubs.
The petition, therefore, sought immediate implementation of prevention and surveillance measures mandated by NTCA's CDV advisories. The petition also sought direction forcing authorities to procure complete administrative and medical records, including monitoring data, veterinary reports, mortality investigations, diagnostic findings and protocol-linked action taken regarding the recent deaths of the seven tigers.
Case Title: Subit Chakraborty v Union of India, WP 19398 of 2026
For Petitioner: Senior Adovcate Ansuman Singh and Advocate Prateek Rusia
For Union: Deputy Solicitor General SM Guru and Assistant Solicitor General Sunil Jain
For State: Deputy Advocate General Swapnil Ganguly