Protect Avni’s cubs’ cry activists

While the ‘Save Avni’ campaign has been going on for over 50 days, animal lovers were unable to express their anger until they gathered on Sunday. “The response was amazing. We formed a human chain that stretched up to one kilometre. People of all ages and backgrounds participated in the protest, holding posters and raising slogans,” said Sumita Pai, an animal rights’ activist and a member of the team that organised the protest. 

In the gathering, activists and protesters demanded the safety of Avni’s cubs and asked for other tigers to be left alone. “We demand that Avni’s murderers and political ministers are tried in court to get her justice. We demand that stricter wildlife laws are made and followed, so that this stops altogether. The purpose of this global peace march (held across the world) was to seek justice for her, to bring forth awareness and to bring forth sustainable change. It was to honour her memory whilst bringing to light her unjust and unlawful execution. It is also to ensure that Avni’s companion T2 and the innocent, vulnerable, defenceless cubs remain safe,” she added.

It may be recalled that Avni or T1 was a young tigress that inhabited the forests of Maharashtra. She was shot dead on November 2. She had been held responsible for several human deaths based on circumstantial evidence.