(MENAFN - Asia Times)
A name given to a man-eating tiger in India has enraged a Muslim group, which says it is offensive. The Muslim group was infuriated as they said the name is also used to refer to the Prophet Mohammad.
According to News18 , the tiger was named Mustafa. The Muslim group Kheri Ekta Parishad in Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, stated the name is often used to refer to the Prophet Mohammad and that the naming of the tiger would be offensive to the Muslim community.
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In February 2017, the tiger was taken from a tiger reserve in Mustafabad in Uttar Pradesh after it had killed six people. It now resides in a separate enclosure at the Lucknow Zoo in the same state.
Ashraf Khan, the Chief of Kehri Ekta Parishad, said a memorandum was given to the District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri on January 1 and a request to rename the tiger was also made to authorities.
However, the director of Lucknow Zoo, RK Singh, said the tiger was given the name as it was rescued from Mustafabad, and that there were no intentions to hurt anyone's feelings. The zoo also denied receiving any formal complaints.
However, the District Magistrate of Kheri confirmed receiving the memorandum from the group, which he said will be sent to relevant departments for further action.
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