Documents accessed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act have flagged serious lapses within the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), with 88 tiger mortality cases from 2020-21 still marked “pending” or “under scrutiny.” The development has raised concerns among conservationists as the authority moves to “force-close” these cases, a step critics say may undermine accountability for wildlife.

Pending cases

The NTCA’s response to an RTI filed by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Ajay Dubey points to a wide geographic spread of unresolved deaths across key tiger habitats. Dubey said Chhattisgarh remains a blind spot, with cases in Bastar, Bhanupratappur, and Kawardha, including unresolved seizure cases.