Shiv Sena MLA claims he killed a tiger in 1987, wears its tooth around his neck

Mumbai: An MLA from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has claimed that he hunted a tiger 37 years ago and wears its tooth around his neck.

A video of Sanjay Gaikwad, who represents the Buldhana constituency in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, making the claim has gone viral on social media.

In the video, Gaikwad is asked about the tiger body part around his neck.

“This is a tiger tooth. In 1987, I had hunted it and removed it (the tooth),” said Gaikwad, who is known for his off-the-cuff remarks.

The interaction seems to have been recorded on Monday on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It was also posted online by Saamana, the mouthpiece of Sena’s rival Uddhav Thackeray faction, on social media.

Hunting of tigers was made a criminal offence in the country much before 1987.

Calls made to Gaikwad did not elicit any response.