Key accused held in blackbuck poaching, protests intensify

The arrest of Mohammad Salam, the key accused in the blackbuck poaching case, has brought some relief to the ongoing protests led by animal lovers and the Akhil Bharat Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha in Jandwala Bishnoian village. Despite the arrest, the Sabha has vowed to continue its agitation until all individuals involved in this and other poaching cases are apprehended.

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For the past four days, the Sabha had warned of staging a mourning assembly outside the Superintendent of Police’s office if no action was taken. Responding to the pressure, police teams acted swiftly and arrested Salam, a resident of 8LLLW Hanumangarh, Rajasthan.

Superintendent of Police Siddhant Jain said the arrest was made possible through a special team formed under the leadership of DSPs Sandeep Dhanakhar (Kalanwali) and Kapil Ahlawat. The team included officers from the CIA, Anti-Narcotics Cell, Cyber Cell and various district police stations.

“The investigation is ongoing, and we are interrogating the accused to identify others involved and recover the weapons used in the crime,” Jain said.

Meanwhile, the Bishnoi Sabha and local activists are not satisfied with the single arrest and said similar past cases have seen little progress. “We will continue our protests until the entire network responsible for poaching is brought to justice,” said Manphool Kalirana, a Sabha activist.

On Friday, the Sabha and animal lovers held a mourning assembly at Shri Guru Jambheshwar Temple in Chautala village to protest police inaction in poaching cases. Activist Shiv Kumar Khichar highlighted that six individuals accused in previous blue bull and cow killing cases remain at large. “The police arrest one or two persons but take no further action. This cannot continue,” he added.

The activists have vowed to hold demonstrations and mourning assemblies in nearby villages until all culprits are caught. “We will not remain silent until justice is served. The fight for wildlife protection is far from over,” said Anand Bishnoi, another protester.

The case has sparked outrage in the community, with activists such as Neeraj Saharan, Harish Khichar and Mahavir Beniwal joining the call for stronger action against poaching networks.