Amicus points out discrepancies between State records and NTCA portal
The rejoinder, based on information obtained through an RTI application, says Maharashtra recorded 184 tiger deaths between 2021 and Jan 2026, against 167 reflected on the NTCA portal. The reconciliation showed 20 state-recorded deaths missing from the national database and four portal entries absent from state records. One 2023 entry involved two tigers allegedly killed in a hunting trap, while another involved the recovery of bones, skin and teeth in a suspected electrocution case.
The missing state entries include deaths attributed to natural causes, suspected poaching and hunting traps, electrocution and unknown causes. The amicus also highlighted six deaths involving tigers in state custody that were absent from the NTCA portal, including deaths at rescue or treatment facilities in Maharashtra.
The amicus has sought directions requiring every tiger death — whether in the wild, an enclosure or custody — to be reported to NTCA within 24 hours and uploaded to a unified, publicly accessible database, irrespective of whether forensic reports are pending.