Raise tigress killing in cabinet: Uddhav Thackeray’s fiat to Sena Ministers

Mumbai: The ghost of the slain alleged man-eater tigress Avni continued to haunt Maharashtra politics for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday. Continuing its aggressive stance, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray directed his party's ministers in the alliance government to raise it in the next cabinet meeting and take Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar to the task.

Entering the fray, Nationalist Congress Party state president Jayant Patil on Tuesday alleged that the forest ministry had acted to kill Avni to help the mining industries of top business houses in that region. “The rules clearly state that such man-eaters must be first tranquillized and caught.

In this case, the tigress was directly killed without considering sedating her. We strongly condemn this. We will question the government,” Patil said, hinting at taking it up in the upcoming winter session of the Assembly starting next fortnight.

Congress’ leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil also attacked the government for Avni's killing saying it was "entirely due to the negligence of the forest officials and the minister must take responsibility for it.” (IANS)