Tiger cub dies after being hit by vehicle on highway in Madhya Pradesh's Budhni

BHOPAL: A tiger cub was killed after being hit by an unidentified vehicle on the highway near Budhni in Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, early Thursday morning.
The incident took place around 6 amon the road connecting Shahganj to Obedullaganj near Bhopal. The cub’s body was later discovered lying on the roadside.
Upon receiving the information, forest officials quickly reached the spot, but despite the initial response, wildlife experts and the responsible team did not arrive until 3.30 pm, leaving the body unattended for several hours. Officials suspect that the cub was crossing the highway during the night and was hit by a vehicle, leading to fatal injuries.
This marks the second wildlife road death in the region within a week. On 2 April, a leopard was killed in a similar incident near the Barkheda range of Ratapani Tiger Reserve in Raisen. The one-year-old leopard was struck by an unidentified vehicle on the overbridge near Shahganj Junction on the Bhopal–Nagpur highway. Despite the construction of special wildlife bridges in Ratapani, the leopard ended up on the overbridge and was fatally struck. A post-mortem was performed by a team of doctors from Van Vihar, confirming the cause of death as a vehicle collision.
Earlier in December 2024, a sub-adult tiger was also killed by a vehicle on the Bhopal–Jabalpur four-lane road, near Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary. The tiger, found in the Bineka area, was suspected to have been struck by a speeding vehicle, though the responsible vehicle was never identified after reviewing CCTV footage from nearby toll booths.
Ratapani Tiger Reserve, home to around 54 tigers, has witnessed multiple incidents of road accidents involving tigers, and these incidents highlight the growing human–wildlife conflict in the area. As tigers and other wildlife venture into human-dominated regions, the risk of collisions with vehicles continues to rise.
Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey expressed concern, stating, "NHAI claims to have surveillance cameras across the highway, but no offenders have been identified. Strong actions are required to prevent tiger deaths. Just because we have an abundance of tigers doesn’t mean we should allow them to die on roads or tracks. A thorough investigation is needed, and those responsible must be held accountable."