The killing of tigress Avni and the controversy that sparked after it seems to have opened a can of worms for Maharashtra government as people are protesting and asking why the cubs of the tigress have not been rescued even after a month of her killing, the probe initiated by Centre run National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) have taken all the claims made by the state forest department to the cleaners.
NTCA has found inaccuracies in the ‘self-defence’ theory propagated by the state government. After her killing, Maharashtra Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) A K Misra had claimed that the tigress was shot dead in self-defence. He had said that a team along with Asghar was tracking the big cat. “Forester Mukhbir Sheikh managed to shoot a tranquiliser dart at her. But she got furious and charged at the team, forcing Asghar to shoot in self-defence from a distance of about 8 to 10 metres,” had claimed Mishra.