Tigress Avni was killed to 'save' Anil Ambani's project: Raj Thackeray
Mumbai, Nov 7: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray claimed Wednesday he had learnt that tigress Avni was killed by the BJP-led Maharashtra government to "save" a proposed project of industrialist Anil Ambani in Yavatmal, a charge denied by the corporate group as well as a district official.
A spokesperson of the Anil Ambani group, when contacted, said the group has no project in Yavatmal district.
A district official in Yavatmal also said the site of the proposed project by the Ambani group is far away from the area where the tigress was shot.
There is no connection between the project and the decision to kill the animal, the official said.
The tigress, which was believed to have turned a man-eater and killed 13 people in the district's Pandharkawada area in the last two years, was shot dead by a marksman hired by the government last Friday.
"I have learnt that Avni was killed to save Anil Ambani's project. The government has sold its conscience to Ambani," Thackeray told reporters here.
"I feel sad about the deaths of people (killed by the tigress). But it happens across the world. When people encroach on forest land and in the periphery of habitats of wild animals, they attack humans," he said.
"There was no need to kill the tigress. She could have been tranquilised. (Forest Minister Sudhir) Mungantiwar is making reckless statements which can cost him his cabinet berth," Thackeray said.
The killing of the tigress, officially known as T1, led to an outrage among animal lovers and wildlife organisation. Union minister Maneka Gandhi had lashed out at the Maharashtra government calling it a "ghastly murder".
A source in the Shiv Sena, a BJP ally, claimed that party president Uddhav Thackeray had asked Sena ministers to raise the issue in the next cabinet meeting.
Sena mouthpiece Saamna had slammed the government over the killing earlier this week.
The tigress was killed on November 2 by Asgar Ali, son of famous sharp-shooter Nawab Shafat Ali, in Borati forest in Yavatmal district.
She left behind two ten-month-old cubs.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
