Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court’s principal bench at Jabalpur on Wednesday directed the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) field director to file a detailed report on tiger deaths. The officer has been asked to submit the report by February 25.
Senior counsel for the petitioner, Aditya Sanghi, told the court that 54 tigers were killed in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in 2025. He added that media reports indicate nine tiger deaths have occurred in January this year alone, pointing to rampant poaching in the reserve.
Heb alleged that authorities have largely ignored these deaths, attributing them to territorial fights, while in reality the big cats are falling victim to poachers. Sanghi added that electrocution by poachers is a major cause behind the killings.
The court scheduled the next hearing for February 25 and directed the BTR authorities to file a detailed report on the high number of tiger deaths in the reserve area.
