Three days ago I was almost ready to get into Diwali festival mode. Everything was going perfectly, sweets, friends, relatives everything. A sudden trend on twitter caught my eye. The hashtag was #Avani. At first, I thought it must be something to do with some movie actress or a brand. But, when I clicked the hashtag a flood of tweets opened and the first image I saw was of a tigress lying down with a dart stuck on her thigh. Then I read this news report
She was Avani! A mother of two cubs who was killed because she was a man-eater. Avani allegedly killed 13 people near the town of Pandharkawada in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra state of India. There are lots of claims and counter-claims from both the sides, the government, and the naturalists. Believe it or not, the national animal of India, the Bengal Tiger can be killed if Hon Supreme Court permits. Yes! It is true. According to the law, a wild animal is declared man-eater if it kills more than 12 humans.
Unfortunately, Avani was declared man-eater and Hon SC agreed to capture her and kill if necessary. Apparently, human life is more important (isn’t it?) No one really questions why Avani became a man-eater. As a nature lover, I can say with confidence that a wild animal will never come near humans unless humans go closer to them. Everyone talks about law, government, human life etc. But, no one calls spade a spade. Avani became man-eater because humans went very close to her territory. In no circumstances, wildlife can be blamed for our sins.
Now, a lot of people argued that what about those who were killed by Avani. Of course, it is sad and painful! But, again who should get the first blame? Humans! Because humans can think. Greater power comes with greater responsibility and I must say we failed. More than that we celebrated our failure when some fired fire-crackers after Avani was killed. According to me, this is sub-human behavior.
I felt very sad and thought of writing it up. Because every time I think of my mother I think of Avani and her two cubs. Her cubs did not know that it was going to be the last time they saw their mother. She was also unaware that we humans will kill her. How, can we do this? I feel ashamed and I wish God will make the sinners suffer. Because not only they killed a tigress they made two cubs orphans.
Reports claim that there were more than 30 people trying to catch Avani tigress alive, they knew she has two cubs and yet they killed Avani..