Shillong, March 24: Meghalaya forest minister Sing Mulieh today defended the recent sacrifice of two leopards as part of a tribal ritual, saying he would personally not allow the law to get in the way of religion.
Members of a tribe that practises the Niam Tynrai religion sacrificed the animals, both of the Felis Bengalinsis species, during the Rong Khli or Shad Khla festival at Nongtalang in the Jaintia Hills.
Leopards are categorised as “rare and endangered” under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
The forest minister, who is from the Jaintia Hills, said he would not allow his department to frame charges against the villagers. He said the authorities should consider the leopard sacrifice a religion-based tradition and instead concentrate on checking poaching of wildlife for monetary gain.
“Why should we stop something that is associated with faith and has been practised for ages? It is okay if a tiger is killed as part of a ritual once in 10 years. We must be more sensitive to poaching,” Mulieh said.