A catastrophic security lapse at Sanjay Van Vatika led to a midnight massacre of 15 deer, sparking allegations of a cover-up by forest officials.

A pack of stray dogs breached the deer enclosure at the state-run Sanjay Van Vatika rescue center on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, killing 15 animals after staff reportedly left a gate unsecured. The forest department confirmed the deaths on Sunday, immediately suspending four employees as evidence emerged of a potential attempt to burn the carcasses and suppress news of the incident.

The slaughter wiped out nearly half of the park’s deer population. According to Surguja Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Abhishek Jogawat, four to five stray dogs entered the facility from the adjoining forest. They targeted an enclosure housing 31 animals, including spotted deer, barking deer, and endangered four-horned antelopes. Fourteen animals were found dead on Saturday morning, while a fifteenth succumbed to critical injuries on Sunday.tate forest officials identified the suspended personnel as a forest guard, a deputy ranger, and two other support staff who were responsible for the security and maintenance of the enclosure. The department’s preliminary investigation suggests the dogs exploited a breach in the fencing that should have been repaired or monitored more closely.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Surguja Circle) Dilraj Prabhakar issued suspension orders for Deputy Ranger Ashok Sinha, who was in charge of the park, along with forest guards Mamta Porte, Pratima Lakra, and staff member Bindu Singh. Ambikapur Forest Ranger Akshapalak Rishi has been served a show-cause notice, facing a five-day deadline to explain the catastrophic lapse in protocol.

But the suspension of staff may only be the beginning of the fallout for the Surguja forest division.

Reports from the ground suggest a desperate attempt was made to hide the scale of the massacre. Witnesses and local reports indicate that forest department officials moved the carcasses to a secluded area behind the park and burned them on Saturday to avoid public or media scrutiny. Investigating teams later discovered charred remains at the site, along with a sharp-edged tool stained with blood—an item DFO Jogawat claimed was an autopsy instrument accidentally left behind.

How does a high-security wildlife enclosure stay open long enough for a pack of dogs to systematically hunt 15 animals?

Preliminary findings point to the most basic of human errors: the enclosure gate was left wide open. The deer, trapped within the perimeter fence but unable to escape the enclosure, were cornered by the predators. The park, which functions as a hybrid between a rescue center and a public zoo, has been ordered shut for three days while an inquiry team led by the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) probes the timeline of the attack and the subsequent disposal of the remains.

And the political pressure is mounting. The Chhattisgarh Congress has reportedly formed its own fact-finding committee to investigate the deaths, citing a total breakdown of administrative oversight in the Surguja district. The loss includes two four-horned antelopes, a species listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, making their deaths a matter of high-level legal concern.

Veterinarians conducted post-mortem examinations before the final disposal, confirming that every death was the direct result of deep puncture wounds and shock from dog bites. The forest department is now reinforcing the fencing at Sanjay Van Vatika with concrete footings and additional steel mesh to prevent a repeat of the breach.

For the 16 surviving deer, the park remains a fortress with a broken reputation. The inquiry must now determine if the alleged cover-up constitutes a criminal offense by those sworn to protect the state’s wildlife.

The blood on the grass at Sanjay Van Vatika is a permanent stain on the department’s credibility.