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2 min readBhopalUpdated: May 6, 2026 04:49 AM IST
The animal had been captured on April 26 from Tara village in the Amanganj buffer range after it strayed close to human habitation. (Representational image/File)
A two-year-old male tiger, rescued barely a week ago and declared fit, was found dead inside the Panna Tiger Reserve on Tuesday, raising the tiger death toll in Madhya Pradesh this year to 28.
The animal had been captured on April 26 from Tara village in the Amanganj buffer range after it strayed close to human habitation.
Field Director Brijendra Srivastava said, “This is an unfortunate incident. There were complaints that the tiger was straying into human habitations in Tara village and had also entered a home.”
According to forest officials, veterinarians had assessed the tiger as healthy before releasing it back into the reserve with a radio collar — part of a system meant to enable round-the-clock tracking. Despite this, the carcass was discovered near a nullah in the Rampura beat.
Field Director Srivastava said the body was found intact, with no immediate signs of poaching or external injury visible at the site. Samples have been collected and sent for postmortem examination, with authorities maintaining that only the postmortem report would establish the cause of death.
Officials insisted that all protocols were followed and that evidence from the site had been secured. Yet, it remains unclear how a radio-collared tiger, declared healthy and tracked in real time, died within days without triggering an immediate response.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
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