Now, Maharashtra govt panel also finds violations of rules in Avni killing

In what may come as yet another blow for the state government and the private shooter who shot Avni or T1 — the problem tigress at Yavatmal — a state-appointed committee has detected violations of laws like the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Arms Act, 1959. The six-member committee has recommended that in future, private hunters should not be involved in such operations.

A National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) panel had also doubted the private shooter's claim that the tigress was shot in self-defence and found his action to be in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act and SOPs.

State forest department sources told DNA that the committee had inferred that the removal of the problem tigress was a "necessary evil" as the primary purpose was to ensure local support for tiger conservation. The state has asked AK Mishra, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and Sunil Limaye, additional principal chief conservator of forests, who were leading the operation, for their comments on the two reports.

The tigress T1, nicknamed Avni by wildlife activists, was blamed for 13 human kills in Yavatmal. Over 200 forest staffers were involved in a massive search operation since September in the landscape spread over a 6,000 hectare area near Pandharkawada after forest department issued orders to shoot the tigress.

On November 2, the feline was shot by Asghar, son of controversial Hyderabad-based hunter Nawab Shafath Ali Khan who was called by the forest department to help in the operation despite several protests.

"The panel under SH Patil, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF), has not questioned the decision of elimination," the official claimed, however, adding that violations of the Wildlife Protection, Arms and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, had been detected.

"Asghar was unable to produce his arms license and weapon used to shoot the tigress for scrutiny. He claimed he did not remember which weapon was used to shoot the tigress," the source said.

When contacted, Shafath Khan said he had "not seen the report and so would not like to say anything." The report has also stressed on the need for the Maharashtra government to evolve state-specific guidelines for dealing with man-animal conflict.