"Strict action will be taken...": Madhya Pradesh minister after tiger death in Narmadapuram

Narmadapuram (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 24 (ANI): After a tiger was found dead in Madhya Pradesh's Narmadapuram district, state minister Narendra Shivaji Patel, on Saturday, said the government has taken serious cognisance of the matter and assured strict action.
"The government is taking strict action against all criminal elements under the leadership of Mohan Yadav... If any such incident has happened, then the government has definitely taken cognisance of it. Strict action will be taken, and no one will be allowed to commit such an act," Patel told reporters.
The tiger was reportedly found dead near the Tawa River on Friday.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey also expressed concern over lapses in monitoring and accountability. "Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers - 785 - but serious negligence is happening in protection and conservation. Because of that, MP is witnessing the highest number of poaching and tiger deaths in the country. In both natural and unnatural deaths, MP has recorded the highest number," he said while speaking to ANI.
Dubey said that critical measures recommended by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), including deployment of a Special Tiger Protection Force and involvement of local communities in forest surveillance, have not been implemented adequately. "Lack of these steps helps poachers," he said, alleging that cover-ups within the forest department.
"A month ago, a tiger was found dead in Balaghat district, but the forest department staff burnt the body secretly without informing senior officials, and no case was registered. It's a very worrying situation when the department itself tries to suppress tiger deaths," Dubey alleged.
Last month, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav had noted that the number of tiger reserves in India had increased from 46 in 2014 to 58.
"With 58 reserves and 3,682 tigers, we have emerged as an example for the world in tiger conservation. Tiger conservation is not just about saving the species. Their rising numbers also symbolise the health of the forests they inhabit. Let us pledge to protect our tigers and their ecosystems, which also support livelihood opportunities for communities," the minister had posted on X. (ANI)