Arjun Singh, son in controversy over killer deer

BHOPAL, JANUARY 28: The free-roaming spotted deer in Congress Working Committee member Arjun Singh8217;s Kerwa Kothi, 10 kms away from the state capital, which went wild on Tuesday and gored one of the policemen on guard duty to death, has thrown its the leader8217;s son and Madhya Pradesh Tourism and Culture Minister Ajay Singh in the midst of a controversy.

The killer pet has now been shifted to Bhopal8217;s Van Vihar National Park. The local police has registered a case of 8220;unnatural death8221;. The forest department, on its part, has started inquiring into the circumstances in which the animal which comes under Schedule II of the Wild Life Conservation Act of 1972 was kept at the Singhs8217; Kerwa Kothi.However, the incident has left policemen, forest officials as well as the general public angry and confused. The policemen have started questioning why the 18-member security squad was posted at the VVIP8217;s palatial mansion. Constable Baldev, a colleague of the deceased cop Kailash Yadav put it: 8220; Are we to protect theVVIPs from outlaws or to protect the wild animals kept as captives to display their opulant lifestyles reminiscent of the Raj era?8221; In a statement issued after two days of silence, State Tourism Minister Ajay Singh on Thursday expressed his agony at the 8220;unfortunate mishap8221; and commiserated with the deceased cop8217;s family.

He flashed a 8220;Certificate of Ownership8221; purported to have been issued by MP8217;s Chief Wildlife Warden way back in 1992 to establish that he had done nothing illegal.

8220;I, and my family have always abided by law, and this spotted deer was kept by me as a pet after following the due process of law and obtaining permission from concerned authorities,8221; he insisted. Chief Wildlife Warden P.K. Mishra, however, would not confirm or deny the minister8217;s claim.

Uma Bharati demands Arjun8217;s arrest
BHOPAL: Union Tourism Minister Uma Bharti has said she would resort to an agitation if senior Congress leader Arjun Singh was not arrested in connection with the killing of a policeconstable by a spotted deer at his Kerwha dam house, near here, on Tuesday.

In a letter written yesterday to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Bharti also demanded that Arjun Singh should pay a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the family of the constable, Kailash Singh Yadav. Urging the Chief Minister to give directives for holding an inquiry into the killing, the Union Minister said the dependents of Yadav should be given a government job.