CBI probe into disappearance of tigers from Panna sought

The Madhya Pradesh forest department has sought a CBI probe into the disappearance of tiger population from Panna Tiger Reserve in the state. 

"We have sent our request to the state government for a CBI inquiry into the disappearance of big cats from the Panna Tiger Reserve," Madhya Pradesh forest minister Sartaj Singh told PTI today.

"Now the state government will forward our request to the Centre for the CBI probe into missing of tigers from the Panna reserve," he added.

The forest department has sought the CBI probe after an experts committee formed by it to look into the disappearance of tigers submitted its report a week back with one of its seven members reportedly not putting his signature on it following differences.

Last year, the lone tiger left in the Panna tiger reserve disappeared following which the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) rushed a team to Panna. The NTCA team observed there was no tiger left in the reserve, which four years back had more than 30 tigers. 

There had been protests in some parts of the state following disappearance of tigers from the reserve, spread over more than 543 sq kms in Panna and Chhatarpur districts. 

Oppostion Congress attacked the state government over the disappearance of tigers from the reserve in the Assembly. The issue had also been raised in Parliament last year.