They braved bullets to protect wildlife (from The Hindu)
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They braved bullets to protect wildlife
Date: 07-10-1996 :: Pg: 09 :: Col: a
From Our Special Correspondent
JAIPUR, Oct. 6.
Upholding the tradition of the Bishnoi community in protecting wildlife, a
group of Bishnois
braved bullets from poachers at Samwatsar village near Nokha in Bikaner
district this past
week in an effort to save the lives of Indian gazelle.
One of them, Nihal Chand Bishnoi, who received bullets from the fleeing gang of
suspected
Bawria tribesmen, died on way to hospital. This incident, which revives
memories of the brave
people of Khejrali village in the Rajasthan desert, who sacrificed their lives
protecting the trees
hundreds of years back, took place on Thursday last.
The tribesmen had already killed a gazelle, locally known as chinkara before
they were chased
by the Bishnois. In the encounter which followed the Bishnois also injured one
of the poachers.
The situation however took an ugly turn when the police arrested five Bishnois
even as the
Bawrias managed to escape. The authorities released the Bishnois later when the
agitated local
people on Friday blocked rail traffic between Jodhpur and Bikaner at Nokha.
It is pertinent to mention that Nokha is not far from Mukham, where the holiest
of the Bishnoi
shrines in the country is located.
The land in the vicinity of the temple is declared by the authorities as a
``closed area'' meaning
that hunting is legally banned here. This place, associated with the founder of
this
conservationist sect, Lord Jambeshwar, is revered by people of other religions
as well.
Lord Jambeshwar, born in Pipasar in Nagaur district of Rajasthan five centuries
ago had
moved to Mukham to preach his new religion protecting trees and saving
wildlife. He breathed
his last at this place. Now a massive temple, without any idols _ as per the
Bishnoi principles
and tradition _ stands here.
The place is also surrounded by a large variety of indigenous trees while
antelope varities like
chinkara and black buck roam the area.
The place also has the Samrathal Dunes which are revered by the Bishnois for
its association
with the founder of the sect.
The Akhil Bharatiya Jeevan Raksha Bishnoi Sabha has expressed concern over the
incident.
The president of the Jaipur chapter of the Sabha, Mr. Darshan Kumar Bishnoi,
said that the
authorities were informed by members of the community some eight months back
that the
wildlife in the area was under threat from poachers but no action was taken.
The WWF-Rajasthan has deployed its State committee member, Mr. Hanuman Singh
Bishnoi,
based at Keechen in Jodhpur to investigate the matter after visiting the hut of
the `martyr', Mr.
Nihal Chand, and to present a token of cash as immediate relief to his widow.
[Excerpted from The Hindu Web Page at http://www.webpage.com/hindu/daily/]
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