The conviction of Salman Khan in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case on Thursday, 5 April, has largely been credited to the Bishnoi community, whose members have been unwavering in their pursuit of a conviction against the Bollywood superstar for the last 20 years.
The eyewitness accounts of two members from the Bishnoi community – Poonamchand Bishnoi and Chhogaram Bishnoi – were instrumental in ensuring the conviction and the five-year jail term for Salman Khan, along with DNA testing and the forensic report.
A day after the actor's conviction, a Jodhpur trial court on Friday reserved its order on his bail plea till Saturday, meaning that the actor will have to spend another night in prison. While Khan was convicted in the case, the other accused and his colleagues – actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam – were acquitted for lack of evidence.
The Eyewitness Accounts
The Bishnoi community – historically known for their commitment towards protecting forests and wildlife – hailed Thursday's verdict with firecrackers and sweets, but also indicated that they would protest the acquittal of other actors in the case.
Poonamchand Bishnoi claims to have been witness to the killing of the two blackbucks by Salman Khan on the intervening night of 1 and 2 October 1998 at the Kankani village in Jodhpur.
According to his account, he spotted Salman Khan and his fellow actors on that fateful night when he had gone out to answer nature's call. He has reportedly claimed that Salman shot two blackbucks dead after he was encouraged by his co-actors, adding that when he tried to approach the group, they fled.
Poonamchand and Chhogaram are then said to have followed the actors' Gypsy vehicle on a motorcycle, noting down its number and then passing on the information to the Forest Department.
Reacting to Thursday’s verdict, Poonamchand, currently working as a contractor, told Hindustan Times that he feels “fulfilled”.
A Community Known For Wildlife and Forest Protection
Members of other Bishnoi groups, working for the protection of animals and trees, have also welcomed the court's decision.
One of such group is the Bishnoi Tiger Force, a 23-year-old organisation, which has purportedly registered over 400 cases against poaching in the western Rajasthan area. Its lawyer, Mahipal Bishnoi, told The Times of India:
We are happy that Khan has been sentenced, but we will ask the government to appeal against those who have been acquitted in this case.Mahipal Bishnoi, Bishnoi Tiger Force’s lawyer
Notably, it's not just the blackbuck poaching case against Salman Khan that the Bishnoi community has actively pursued. The community has also made arguments against Khan in two cases allegedly involving poaching of chinkaras, wherein the actor was first convicted and then eventually acquitted.
Established as a community by Guru Jambheshwar in 1451, the Bishnois are largely based in north India and have strived to protect the biodiversity around them for generations. If you look up Bishnois on Google, you will find images of women breastfeeding young fawns along with their own babies. These images clear all doubts about how committed the Bishnois are to the cause of animal welfare.
They are said to be staunch followers of Guru Jambheswar's 29 rules, which tells them to be kind to animals and to refrain from cutting trees.
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