Mairaj Ahmed Khan committed a crime against wild animals

[nareshkadyan]

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Khurja, UP, Jan 8: The Meerut Divisional Conservator of Forests today reached Bulandshahar for a preliminary investigation in the findings of India TV which exposed national shooter Mairaj Ahmed Khan killing sambhars with his rifle and shot gun and inviting foreign nationals for hunting.

Forest department teams raided several places in Gulavati and Khurja to collect evidences of this illegal hunting racket.

BJP MP Menaka Gandhi had told India TV on Saturday night in its primetime programme that the CBI should take up the whole matter, as such illegal hunting would not have been possible without the connivance of local forest officials.

National shooter Mairaj Ahmed Khan is presently in Doha, Qatar and taking part in Asian Shooting Championships.

He has refused to comment on the India TV expose.

India TV in its primetime telecast on Saturday night exposed India’s ace gold medalist shooter Mairaj Ahmed Khan using a sophisticated gun to shoot sambhars in the forests of Khurja near Bulandshahar, UP.

The nine photographs dated February 6, 2011 show Mairaj Ahmed Khan sitting with his gun in front of the dead sambhars alongwith his associates.

BJP MP and chief patron of People for Animals Menaka Gandhi speaking to India TV demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

Menaka Gandhi alleged that the shooter had been inviting foreign nationals to participate in hunting, and in lieu of that he used to get payments in foreign exchange.

This is also a foreign exchange law violation, she added.

Menaka Gandhi alleged that this could not have been possible without the connivance of the local DFO (District Forest Officer) and rangers.

India TV had telecasted nine photographers of Mairaj Ahmed Khan posing with a shotgun with the dead sambhar.

Mairaj Ahmed Khan is presently in Doha, Qatar to take part in the 12th Asian Shooting Championship.

Mairaj Ahmed Khan won the bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

He also won a gold medal in the Commonwealth Shooting Championship.

He is considered one of India’s foremost shooters.

An official of the National Rifle Association of India told India TV that the matter would be probed, and if found true, action would be taken against the shooter.

Ambika Shukla of People For Animals said, her organisation will file a complaint in court against the shooter.

[nareshkadyan]

Is above was the reaction on the following?

The national rifle association of India (NRAI) got a shot in the arm on Wednesday when the supreme court put a stay on the judgement of Delhi high court which had included all air weapons under the Arms Act, 1959.

The high court in its verdict had quashed a 1962 government notification that exempted the air rifle and air pistol from all regulations and controls under the Arms Act, 1959. The ruling said that air guns, air rifles, air pistols are subject to the provisions of the act.

The high court had given its verdict after Maneka Gandhi’s non-profit organisation, People For Animals, had filed a petition saying air weapons are used to kill birds.
The NRAI, along with the sports ministry and manufacturers of air weapons, had challenged the verdict.
“It is a great achievement for the sports fraternity and we are thankful to sports minister Ajay Maken, who supported us all the time,” NRAI secretary Rajiv Bhatia told DNA.

According to the high court verdict, a valid license was mandatory to use air weapons. This had come as a setback for young shooters as the age limit to get the arms license is 21 years.

“It is a fair decision by the Supreme Court. It will help those shooters, whose weapons were stuck at airports for customs clearance,” added Bhatia.

International shooter Jaspal Rana seconded Bhatia. “I didn’t find any logic in the petition filed by the NGO. It said air weapons were used to kill birds, but my point is that if they are used to kill birds, will license help cure the problem?

“Those who buy air guns do so only to practice and make their country proud,” said Rana.

[Vikram]

If he violated law he must face the consequences and that is correct.Period.

Is above was the reaction on the following?

I have a bit of a problem with comprehending your point in the second post.Could you please elaborate? Thank you.


Best-
Vikram

[goodboy_mentor]

All this is happening because of silly laws created by corrupt and silly people, merely to impose their personal will on everyone. It is better if hunting is privatized and allow hunting on scientific basis on payment of fees. Nothing wrong with it, after all hunting is part and parcel of the laws of nature.

As far as question of Menaka Gandhi is concerned, her hypocrisy about gun ownership is exposed in her affidavit to the election commission. Copy of the same can be read in this thread http://indiansforguns.com/viewtopic.php ... 26#p147376 She had not one or two but three firearms herself, out of which two were stolen.

[prashantsingh]

Doesn't look like a Sambhar but a Hog deer (Para) to me.

Sad and unfortunate.

There is no justification for such an act. Hunting is banned in India. One must follow the laws of the land.
I have always wondered why (reasonably well to do citizens ) who can easily afford to hunt abroad , break the law .

[nareshkadyan]

Vikram ji, It has been learnt that Maneka Gandhi handed over nine photographs to the India TV news channel to exposed the issue, why it was not given to the concerned official for legal action and why she was waiting for SC stay order?

[goodboy_mentor]

Kadyan ji good question by you, as to why Menaka Gandhi instead of approaching the law enforcement officials, is approaching TV channels? Why she is afraid of approaching the law enforcement machinary of State? Are the photographs authentic and not doctored/morphed? Who knows the truth? Let the courts find out the truth.

[tiwariarrun]

Re: Mairaj Ahmed Khan committed a crime against wild animals

Unread postby prashantsingh » Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:16 pm
Doesn't look like a Sambhar but a Hog deer (Para) to me.

Sad and unfortunate.

There is no justification for such an act. Hunting is banned in India. One must follow the laws of the land.
I have always wondered why (reasonably well to do citizens ) who can easily afford to hunt abroad , break the law

I agree with you, Mr. Prashant Singh.

Such a responsible person indulging himself in such a shameful act. Mairaj Ahmed Khan has committed a crime, and must be punished. NRAI must revoke his membership immediately, and boycott him to save the shooting sport in this country.

Also, this makes Maneka's case much stronger. SAD!

[Vikram]

Also, this makes Maneka's case much stronger. SAD!

It does not make her case stronger unless we let it be.

Actions of an individual cannot be used to condemn an entire group/community. In such case the worst criminals are politicians.

Mairaj,if he is guilty, must be punished.His actions are not a reflection on neither you nor me simply because we support gun-rights.


Best-
Vikram

[tiwariarrun]

You're right, Vikram. But MG's got a strong point to make a big fuss about it.

Also, it's an INDIA TV report. Could be crap..manipulation. Did any of the other TV/news channels report this? Any clue?

[goodboy_mentor]

Nothing "strong" about this in the eyes of law. Let nobody jump to conclusions merely on basis of allegations made in some interview given to some TV channel and some photographs alleged to prove some act. In the eyes of law everybody is innocent until proven guilty. Let the courts find out the truth.

[prashantsingh]

Also, it's an INDIA TV report. Could be crap..manipulation. Did any of the other TV/news channels report this? Any clue?

India TV covers a lot of reports on wildlife.
There is no smoke without fire. The photos look genuine.

I have seen this video thrice over.
The more I watch it. The more confident I am that the animal poached is a HOG DEER and NOT a sambhar. I am surprised the Forest guys got it wrong.
The thin antlers are typically those of the hog deer. So is the dark marking on the brow.

[nareshkadyan]

FIR has been lodged by the Khurja Police under the various sections of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1972

[Ravindrane]

It is unfortunate that evidence of his trophy got into the hands of so called protectors of wild life. Invariably all the shooters at all the levels, are hunters by instinct. It is an instinct passed on from the day of our existence in the forest. All the IFGians, I think have it in their genes. Let us not shy away from the hard truth and deny the fact. What is in the genes cannot be forbidden by laws. Istead of we having laws forbidding what is running in our blood could ennact laws which can rationalize and give vent to the instincts in a rational way. It is not buy hunters that we are loosing the wild life. Every one knows why?. Why cannot the so called protectors expose them all and give the media Blast? Charlatans!!

[AK49]

All this is happening because of silly laws created by corrupt and silly people, merely to impose their personal will on everyone. It is better if hunting is privatized and allow hunting on scientific basis on payment of fees. Nothing wrong with it, after all hunting is part and parcel of the laws of nature.

Full agree with goodboy mentor. Probably that will give a better chance to the wildlife to recover from decline that it is suffering now due to poaching with or without the connivance those who are supposed to protect it.