The Jabalpur bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 29 directed the Central and the State government to give details about the preventive and curative steps they have taken in response to a spate of tiger deaths in Kanha National Park [Subit Chakrabarti v. Union of India & Ors.]

A division bench of Justices Vivek Jain and Ajay Kumar Nirankhari issued notice to to the Union of India, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the State of Madhya Pradesh and senior forest officials in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Mumbai-based advocate Subit Chakrabarti flagging deaths of 8 tigers.

“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,” the bench said. 

At least eight tiger deaths were reported in and around Kanha during April and May, including tigress T‑122 Sunaina, tigress T‑141 Amahi and her four sub‑adult cubs, an adult male known as the Digdola, and tiger T‑220 Mahaveer.

Several of these deaths have been publicly linked by officials to suspected Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) or allied respiratory infection.

The petitioner alleged serious lapses in implementing the statutory tiger conservation framework under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and binding NTCA protocols on Phase‑IV monitoring, disease surveillance, veterinary services and management of distressed tigers and cubs. 

As per the plea, the deaths occurred in Kanha’s Sarhi range, a northern core zone that directly borders several villages, and officials failed to fully enforce dog‑vaccination, surveillance and hygiene measures in these high‑risk fringe areas.

According to the petitioner, there are gaps in NTCA’s online mortality database and full biologically linked cluster of deaths involving T‑141 and her four cubs is not transparently reflected, despite public acknowledgement of the episode. 

Hence, there should be production and preservation of all monitoring, veterinary and necropsy records relating to the Kanha deaths, disclosure and full enforcement of NTCA’s CDV advisories in and around the reserve, and the appointment of an independent expert committee to examine lapses and recommend corrective and accountability measures, the petitioner submitted.

Senior advocate Ansuman Singh, with advocates Prateek Rusia appeared for Chakrabarti.

Deputy Solicitor General SM Guru, Additional Solicitor General Sunil Jain and advocate Dev Sharma appeared for the Central government and its officials. 

Deputy Advocate General Swapnil Ganguly appeared for State. 

[Read Order]