WATCH: Mizoram minister slaughters pig with gun; activists see red

Aizawl: Mizoram minister R Lalzirliana has come under the scanner of animal rights activists after he slaughtered a pig by shooting at it in Aizawl recently.

In a video that has now gone viral, Lalzirliana can be seen aiming at the tied animal before shooting at it from a close range. The pig wriggles at first before calming down.

The minister is then seen going near the pig to check whether it’s still alive. The animal then starts to wriggle again. This can be seen till the end of the video.

After the video was circulated on social media, several users questioned the way the minister killed the pig. As per sources, the pig was slaughtered for the New Year’s Day feast which is normally had together in the community.

Some even said that it violated Section 3(1) of the The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001 which provides that animals cannot be slaughtered except in recognised and licensed slaughterhouses.

However, it must be noted that the minister’s act is nothing new for the state where animals including pigs are usually slaughtered in that manner.

Lalzirliana was in the news before the state assembly elections in November 2018 after he resigned from the Congress cabinet led by then CM Lal Thanhawla to be officially inducted into the Mizo National Front (MNF).

MNF came into power that year. Lalzirliana was holding the position of Congress vice-president before his resignation from the party.

Lalzirliana resigned from the Lal Thanhawla cabinet on September 14, 2018, three days after he was served a show-cause notice by the party high command due to alleged anti-party activities.

He was expelled from the party on September 17 that year. Lalzirliana also resigned as a legislator.

He contested and won the Assembly elections on an MNF ticket from Tawi, the constituency he represented for four consecutive terms since 1998.