The Gujarat police, on Wednesday, reopened a case against Salman Khan [Images], for allegedly hunting a chinkara in Kutch district in 1998.

The Forest Department had earlier conducted preliminary investigations and closed the case for want of evidence, said Kutch CID inspector B B Jhala who has been given the responsiblity of conducting fresh investigations in the case.

According to forest department sources, Salman, while shooting for Hum dil de chuke sanam, starring Ashiwariya Rai, had accompanied some local friends to hunting chinkaras, which are deer. 

The chinkaras are a protected species under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act. Hence, killing them is a serious punishable offence.

A wildlife organisation, which filed an application against the actor, has alleged it was shoddy investigation by the Forest Department that had led to Salman not being arrested. The organisation, therefore, demanded reopening of the case and fresh investigation into the matter.