The Madhya Pradesh High Court has expressed concern over the rising number of tiger deaths and has instructed the state government and the National Tiger Conservation Authority to submit a detailed report by February 25. This directive came during a hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey, highlighting the deaths of 54 tigers in 2025 and nine fatalities in Madhya Pradesh since January this year.
Senior advocate Aditya Sanghi provided data on tiger deaths in the state and informed that the court also directed the Field Director of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve to present an investigative report by the same date. Sanghi emphasized that nine tigers were killed in suspicious circumstances in January 2026, mostly within the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve’s jurisdiction.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Madhya Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva instructed the Field Director of the BTR to provide a detailed report explaining the significant loss of tigers. The court was informed that rampant poaching is a major issue at the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, with authorities often attributing deaths to territorial disputes rather than addressing the real problem.
Allegations have been made regarding organized poaching and electrocution as key factors contributing to the decline in the tiger population. The petitioner accused authorities of neglecting the crisis and failing to implement effective anti-poaching measures. Following the arguments, the court directed the concerned authorities to submit their responses at the next hearing on February 25.
