Ek Tha BlackBuck 

Section 9 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, prohibits hunting wild animals. The hunting of the Indian antelope or blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the act. At some point of time, this animal was found across India. Even in the 1940s, there were supposed to be a total of 80,000 blackbucks. But during the last census in 2015, the number stood at 3,806. While these animals are known to destroy crops, they are also considered auspicious by many. Before Independence, blackbuck hunting aided by specially trained Asiatic cheetahs was common in the princely states. The other favourite prey of the landed gentry was the Indian gazelle or the chinkara.

Hum Saath Saath Hain

This week, actor Salman Khan was convicted for the shooting of two blackbucks. The case dates back to 1998. That year, Khan was in Rajasthan shooting for the film, Hum Saath Saath Hain, a real tear-jerker. The 33-year-old played the lead, Prem. It has been reported that as he went after the animals in his jeep, co-star Satish Shah urged, "Jama ke lagao" - basically, pump those bullets in.

Collateral Damage

Khan is not alone in this act of poaching. In 1995, it was alleged that Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's son, Jaidev, had poached deer in the Borivali National Park. When it was reported, Thackeray said, "People point fingers at my son when he shoots a deer. Other people kill tigers and nobody breathes a word." Again in the 1990s, minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao of Andhra Pradesh threw a party wherein he served 17 varieties of meat. Among the invitees was Speaker G.M.C. Balayogi. On the menu were spotted deer, peacock masala, partridge, green pigeon masala, wild boar curry. When questioned Tummala said: I only had curd rice. In 2005, Mansur Ali Pataudi was also accused of killing blackbuck. One hot June day, when he reportedly ran out of legal options, he presented himself at Jhajjar police station. The Jhajjar SP, Hanif Quereshi, told the press how he had been extended facilities matching his status. Never a word or a thought for the dead animals.