Wildlife laws should be taken very seriously by everybody, says PETA activist

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) activist Bhuvaneshwari Kumar on Wednesday welcomes the Rajasthan Government move to the Supreme Court against the acquittal of Bollywood actor Salman Khan, saying that Wildlife laws should be taken very seriously and its punishment should be applicable to all.

"We are happy that the Rajasthan Government is taking the issue very seriously, because whether it is a celebrity or a regular person, Wildlife laws should be taken very seriously and the punishment applicable under it should be equal for everybody," Kumar told ANI.

She said Chinkaras or black bugs are very sensitive, endangered and extremely vulnerable species and hunting animals show cruelty of a person.

The Rajasthan Government today filed a special leave petition before the court against the acquittal of Khan by the high court in the 18-year-old two chinkara poaching cases.

The Rajasthan High Court on July 25 had acquitted Salman in the poaching case for the want of evidences.

In 1998, Khan and seven others were accused of hunting and killing chinkaras in two separate incidents.

One of the animals was killed at Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, and the other at Ghoda Farms on September 28, 1998.

At that time, they were shooting for the film 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.

Chinkara is an endangered animal accorded the highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act.