Mumbai: Sanjay Nirupam links Sudhir Mungantiwar with poaching mafia

Sanjay Nirupam and Sudhir Mungantiwar

Amid a raging controversy over the killing of tigress T1-Avni, a Congress leader has linked Maharashtra forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar with the international poaching mafia, and the Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said a probe panel appointed a day before was farcical.

Talking to the media here, Mumbai Congress President Sanjay Nirupam demanded immediate sacking and a CBI probe against Mungantiwar because the tigers are unsafe under his rule. He said a record number of tigers have died since Mungantiwar resumed office in October 2014.

"Fourteen, 16 and 21 tigers have died in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, in Maharashtra. The number of tiger deaths in the year 2017 is second highest in the country after Madhya Pradesh. India's biggest tiger Jay has been missing too. Does this bitter reality sound normal to Mungantiwar? It is highly possible that Mungantiwar could be in nexus with the international poaching mafias. It is clear that our national animal isn't safe under Mungantiwar's rule," said Nirupam.

Mungantiwar dismissed the allegation as the most irresponsible political statement ever against him and assured to sue Nirupam. He also said that he has already asked the CM to form a probe committee of the sitting Supreme Court judges.

Nirupam questioned as to why a surveillance system was not installed in every tiger reserve in the state. Tenders were scrapped twice in two years, he said. Other than Nirupam, activists Rupali Ganguly, Priyanka Timmins, Anupama Mukherjee and Bharat Sharma too raised several questions in the Avni killing.

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates