Pirs of Ranipur deny involvement in Dadu deer killing

Claim 'political conspiracy' even as wildlife dept says it is certain of evidence against them

The Pirs of Ranipur, who are accused of killing a pregnant deer last month, have denied the charges against them and claim they are victims of a 'political conspiracy.'

The Sindh Wildlife Department nominated Pir Sakhi Ali Shah and Pir Raza Shah as the main perpetrators in its FIR of the deer's killing - a hunt that was captured in a video that went viral on social media.

The father of the two accused, Agha Roshan Ali Shah, however, claims the video was edited. "My sons were attending a marriage ceremony on the day of the hunt," claimed Shah while speaking to The Express Tribune. "It is an edited clip."

However, contradicting himself, Shah then referred to the same clip and asked who shot the deer dead. "It is not clear in the video whether my son killed the animal."

Shah then added that he himself was hunting birds and said that his sons hunt birds as well, but they did not kill the deer.

He maintained that they were being implicated in a political conspiracy and the wildlife department was party to it. "We are a political family and someone has certainly hatched a conspiracy against us."

Meanwhile, the SWD officer investigating the incident, Abdul Qayoom Channa, said that out of the 11 persons nominated in the case, three suspects remain at large.

Channa said that three suspects, Abdul Sattar, Ghulam Mustafa and Sikandar Ali, were arrested and sent to jail last week outside court premises, later acquiring bail on Monday. Meanwhile, another five suspects, including the Pir of Ranipur, were granted interim bail from the Sindh High Court's Hyderabad bench, according to Channa.

But the SWD officer is convinced that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. "We have strong evidence against the culprits. They will certainly be punished."

On November 15, a day after the deer was killed, the video in question went viral on social media. It depicted scores of villagers cornering the deer and leading her to one of the Pir's sons, who shot her dead. Cheering the hunter, the villagers cut open the slain deer and found she was pregnant - and the fawn was also killed.

The viral video sparked outrage by social activists and wildlife conservationists, prompting action against the suspects. A week later, on the directives of the Dadu district and sessions court, the police also lodged an FIR against the hunters. The SWD Dadu office had already lodged a complaint nominating 11 suspects.

Channa dismissed the Pir's claims of a political conspiracy and maintained that the matter was being heard in court. "The court will decide who has committed the crime. We have proof."

SWD conservator Javed Ahmed Mahar seconded that his department was committed to proceeding with the investigation and the case. "No one is above the law. We don't support anyone," he said, responding to criticism on social media that the SWD was not taking strict action against the culprits.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2020.