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Sonewani Tiger Tragedy, Cover-Ups Erode the Tiger State Tag

A shocking case in Madhya Pradesh exposes negligence, illegal cremation, and absconding forest staff - raising doubts over tiger conservation efforts.  Madhya Pradesh which never misses a chance to flaunt its title as the “Tiger State of India,” now finds itself under a cloud of suspicion and criticism. A recent incident in the Sonewani Conservation Reserve of Balaghat  has revealed not only negligence but what appears to be a deliberate cover-up by the very people entrusted with safeguarding the state’s most iconic species. In July, a tiger was found dead in the reserve,but instead of following mandatory procedures, it was allegedly burnt without informing senior forest officers. The matter only came to light when photographs of the cremation surfaced in a WhatsApp group  on August 2 2025. By then, critical evidence was already destroyed. Also read :  Ken Betwa Project : Plan to Massacre Millions of Trees Give Goosebumps The revelation triggered outrage,leading to ...
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Selfie With Leopard


Leopard

Over fifty people in a village of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh risked their life as they played around an ailing leopard .The leopard was    spotted in an isolated area of Eklara Mata village, about 70 kms away from the district headquarter of the industrial town  of Dewas on August 29. The spotted cat is suffering from some neurological disorder which may have been caused by rabies of canine distemper virus. Though the villagers did not harm the animal, they were exposed to the animal bite as they fondled the animal, sat around it and tried to even have a ride before taking selfies.

Leopard Ride ? 

Leopard

Videos taken by them raise  many serious questions. Who is actually the animal? The people taking selfies and having fun with the  hapless spotted cat as they yelled, whistled, jostled to play and to  shoot videos and images  from mobile phones. But beast that seemed to have lost its animal instinct because of the ailment did not react.  People living around the  forest fringes  need to develop  sensitivity towards wild animals for their own safety. 

Also Read: Shhhh - Leopard is watching you 

Those involved in the wildlife conservation also have this huge task to sensitise them.  The place where the leopard was found  has a patch of forest on the banks of Kalisindh river.  When the villagers first spotted the animal, they were scared of it. But soon they realized that  the leopard was not at all reacting to their presence, said a forest department official in Dewas.  They did not harm the leopard and informed us, he said adding,  the leopard was soon rescued  from them and was sent to Indore zoo.  The leopard  had a fever  and  would undergo veterinary tests  on August 31. The tests could not be conducted because of public holiday on August 30.

Risking Life 

leopard

Vikas Mohre, superintendent of the Kheoni  sanctuary in Dewas, about 70 kms away from the  place where the animal was spotted   said that  the  leopard seems to have some serious neurological  problem because of some  infection.  He suspects it could be rabies or canine distemper. The latter is a contagious and serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems . 

Also Read: Drones, Dogs Help Catch Cheetah Nirva In Kuno

Both the infections are caused by dogs. The superintendent said, “ the villagers  risked their life. Imagine  what happens when a  dog with rabies  bites a man. What if the   leopard had bitten  any of the villagers? “. He said that   people should stay away from wild animals in case they spot them anywhere and inform the forest department. According to the leopard census of 2018,  Madhya Pradesh is home to 3,421 leopards, the highest in the country. The latest report is yet to be released. Dewas district has a population of over 100 leopards. 

From Deshdeep Saxena 

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Location: Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, India

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