Ex-Delhi constable arrested for leopard killings as murder suspect nabbed in Indore

Dismissed Delhi police constable Bhagwan Singh was taken into custody for his alleged role in the death of ten leopards in Kuno, while a separate suspect, Aqeel Khan, was linked to a 12-year murder case.

A joint operation by the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau captured dismissed Delhi police constable Bhagwan Singh, also known as Salim, accusing him of being a key link in a cross-state poaching network responsible for the deaths of ten leopards in the Kuno-Chambal region. The investigation, sparked by the recovery of ten leopard skins in Agra, led to the arrest of eight additional suspects and the seizure of leopard remains and three leg-hold traps in Sheopur and Morena districts, with the suspects now held in jail.

Investigators are also examining whether a prominent wildlife conservation NGO may have been connected to the killings through a possible contractual poaching scheme. Bhagwan Singh is slated to appear before a special court in Shivpuri, where officials will seek forest remand for further questioning. Meanwhile, Khajrana police in Indore apprehended Aqeel Khan, who had been out on bail for allegedly stalking and molesting two Australian women cricketers, after a police informer linked him to the 2015 homicide of 17-year-old Krishna. The dual cases highlight ongoing challenges in wildlife protection and unresolved violent crimes.