Ranchi, May 5: The lockdown imposed across India due to the coronavirus might have an impact on the country's economy, but it has also led to some positive development. Due to the nationwide lockdown, Bishnu Sendra Parva, a hunting festival of tribals, was observed with only the observance of at-home rituals in Jharkhand on Monday. Hence, no animal was killed during the Bishnu Sendra Parva for the first time.

Out of 24 districts in Jharkhand, 12 have not reported a single case of coronavirus. But Chief Minister Hemant Soren refused to give any relaxations in the lockdown. Consequently, tribal hunters did not reach the forests to observe the hunting festival, also known as Bishu Shikar. Instead, tribals observed the rituals with bows, arrows, spears and wire mesh outside the forests, according to a report of Telegraph.

"We just observed the necessary rituals in Asanboni and didn’t venture too deep into the forest. Some groups might have entered the forest, but most of them followed the lockdown rules," Fakir Soren, a tribal, was quoted as saying in the report. Dolma Buru Sendra Samity, the organiser of Bishnu Sendra Parva, had requested tribal groups from neighbouring states to abide by the lockdown and not come to Jharkhand. Jharkhand Man Placed Under Quarantine Commits Suicide by Jumping from 3rd Floor of Ranchi Hospital.

According to another report, no animal was killed during the hunting festival as tribals refrained from venturing into the forest due to the lockdown. "They didn’t hunt animals, but we spotted them inside the forest. The number of tribals was way too less this year because of the lockdown," Chandramauli Prasad Sinha, divisional forest officer of Ranchi Wildlife Division, said. Around 50 forest officials were deployed for patrolling during the day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2020 12:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).