Rajasthan deer hunting protest – Rajasthan: Protesters demand parading of arrested deer hunters, throw stones at Bajju police station in Bikaner
Protesters surrounded a police station in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district and threw stones at it, demanding the parading of the accused caught for hunting deer.
Recently, six accused men from Punjab were caught for allegedly hunting deer in Rajasthan’s Bikaner after a chase of 60 kilometres. A viral video showed police personnel restraining the men who were firing upon them.
Another clip showed one of the protesters damaging the Bajju police station board. The protest against the hunting of deer was marked by the closure of a local market and state highways seeing traffic jams.
The incident has earned the wrath of the Bishnoi community in Bikaner, which is known for their love of nature and wildlife.
Police said that action against the accused would be taken as per law.
In a video statement, Jaisukh Bishnoi Sarpanch Mankasar of Bajju said the accused should be charged with sedition and demanded strict punishment for them.
“Some hunters shot dead a deer while they were travlling. We were informed about the incident. The police went after them and caught them after a chase of 60 kilometres. The hunters fired upon the police personnel when they were trying to restrain them. Despite that, the police did not give up and arrested them,” he said.
“I request the government to give the strictest punishment to these hunters. They entered a restricted area with weapons. They should be charged with sedition. They are taking inspiration from Salman Khan who killed blackbucks, and he was not punished by court,” he added.
Khan is accused of hunting blackbucks while filming Hum Saath Saath Hain in Jodhpur in 1998. The incident caused widespread outrage among the Bishnois, who consider the animal as sacred to their community.
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, a member of the Bishnoi community, swore revenge against Khan after he was convicted in the case in 2018 by a trial court. The actor has appealed against the case, and it is pending before the Rajasthan High Court.
