Protesters to call for probe into killing, safety for Avni’s cubs and resignation of Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar

Filmmakers, actors and animal rights activists will take part in a global march demanding justice for tigress Avni and her two 10-month-old cubs on Sunday. The march will begin at 4 p.m. at Worli sea face (Common Man statue) up to Shivaji Park in Dadar. The Global March is expected to touch 22 cities across India and 11 countries around the world.

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Actor Rupali Ganguly, who is one of the founding members of the Global March Campaign, said animals could not afford expensive lawyers and people had to join hands to become the voice of the voiceless. Ms. Ganguly said, “I am doing this so that when my son grows up he does not have to see a statue of a tiger to know how [the animal] looks.”

‘Guidelines flouted’

Ms. Ganguly said, “[The Ralegaon forest in Yavatmal] was encroached upon by industrialists. Then Avni was declared a man-eater. Flouting the court’s guideline of shooting her as a last resort, [they] murdered [Avni anyway].”

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The protesters will be demanding safety for Avni’s cubs, an investigation into the killing and the resignation of Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. Ms. Ganguly said, “Firstly, the cubs have to be located and provided a safe habitat. Secondly, we have to stop replacing forests with concrete buildings. The natural habitats of these animals have to be saved from encroachers. Also, Mr. Mungantiwar should resign as the Forest Minister, if all he can do is support the industrialists at the cost of the environment.”

Gurpreet Singh Chawla, animal activist and co-organiser, said, “On the one hand, we have declared the tiger as our national animal and on the other, we are wrongfully accusing them and killing them. We demand special investigation teams be formed from outside Maharashtra to look into the matter. The animals also have a right to live.”