Thaindian News

Nagpur, Aug 17 (IBNS) A case has been registered against agriculture minister of Maharashtra, Balasaheb Thorat, for teasing a tiger in a zoo cage Monday.

Meanwhile, Thorat said he did not ‘tease’ with the carnivore.

“I didn’t enter the enclosure to play with or tease the tiger…I just wanted to see myself how the authorities are taking care of the animals at the Maharaj Baug Zoo,” Thorat said, making it clear that he didn’t do ‘anything wrong’.

The video footage made on air by Times Now, showed the minister entering the cage housing one-and-half-year-old tiger cub during his visit to the zoo with city Congress president Jaiprakash Gupta. He is also seen bending down and playing with the tiger. At one point the tiger tries to break away from the duo but is restrained and brought back to the minister.

Siding with Thorat, Gupta said it was the zoo keeper who insisted that minister should enter the cage during their visit.

Animal rights activists have registered a very strong protest demanding strict action against the minister for violation key sections of the Wildlife Protection Act. Most significantly the Minister’s gunner was also with him which could have led to a nasty situation in case the Tiger cub had reacted adversely.