While the Haryana Police is progressing at its own pace in the hunting case against MAK Pataudi, certain animal welfare organizations and activists have vowed to swing into action if the police attempts to distort facts and evidence.

Delhi-based Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) has in its possession a post mortem report of the female black buck, allegedly hunted down by Pataudi and his accomplices in Jhajjar five days ago. This report prepared under the aegis of the Central Zoo Authority, is separate from the one which the Haryana Police got conducted in Jhajjar after the incident. WTI officials say they will use this report after the police have filed charge sheets in the case.

“We want to see what evidence the police brings on record. If there are discrepancies, we will move in with our evidence,” Mr Ashok Kumar of the WTI told The Tribune today. Meanwhile, Bishnois in Haryana is highly perturbed over the incident and its serious fallout.

Hanuman Prasad Bishnoi, All-India President of the Akhil Bharatiya Jeevranksha Bishnoi Sabha, when contacted, said, “We will be satisfied if the arrests are made. If not, we will launch a massive campaign to ensure that the guilty are brought to book. We have also been told some portions of the black buck, like bones, have been hidden somewhere else. We are trying to find out where.”

Meanwhile, the People for Animals (PFA) has demanded a high level CBI probe into the alleged killing of the animals by Pataudi and his accomplices. The representation was sent today to the Prime Minister. Dr Sandeep Jain, a former member, Animal Welfare Board of India and Ludhiana PFA chairperson said, “The black buck was purposely buried to destroy evidence. When our activist Naresh Kadiyan exhumed the body and got an independent post-mortem examination done, he was booked by the police. The police role is dubious. Hence, the representation. We want the case to be taken away from state police.”Even SC Lawyer Raj Panjwani who has fought several cases against poachers said no case was made out against Kadiyan. “When the police buried the animal, it also surrendered its right over the animal. Legally speaking, Kadiyan’s action of exhuming the animal was not criminal.”

On the subject of Haryana police’s role in the case, a highly placed Haryana Forest Department officer went to the extent of saying that the poaching case against Pataudi and six others needed no further evidence for prosecution of the accused. “The accused were caught red handed with search lights, guns, carcasses. One of them has a past record in hunting. What more does the police need?”