The Satpura Tiger Reserve authorities have started an investigation after a video purportedly showed a vehicle, in which Bollywood actor Raveena Tandon was allegedly travelling, close to a tiger during a safari, an official said on Tuesday. The video, which surfaced on social media platforms, showed the safari vehicle reaching close to a tiger. In the clip, camera shutters are heard making sounds and a tiger is seen roaring at them in the reserve located in Madhya Pradesh's Narmadapuram district.
Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) of Forest Dheeraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said following the directives of senior officials, he has started a probe into the alleged incident. He said during Tandon's visit to the reserve on November 22, her vehicle allegedly reached near a tiger. The vehicle driver and the officials on duty there will be served a notice and questioned, the official said. The probe report will be submitted to senior officials for further action, he said.
Tandon had shared the pictures of her visit to the Satpura Tiger Reserve on her social media handles. She had also shared the pictures of tigers which she clicked during her visit to the reserve.
Earlier this month, authorities at the Van Vihar National Park, located in state capital Bhopal, had started an investigation after Tandon shared a video and claimed some miscreants were throwing stones at a tiger enclosure in the park.
“Van Vihar, Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh. Tourists (ruffians) pelting stones at the tiger in closures. Having a good laugh when told not to do so. Screaming, laughing, shaking the cage- throwing rocks. No security for the tiger. Humiliation they are subjected to,” Tandon had tweeted.
In reply, the park authorities had said they were investigating the incident. Such acts are punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act, they had said.
