The 400-odd population of this otherwise obscure Rajasthani village of Bishnois are basking in glory. After all, they have managed to put Bollywood's macho hero Salman Khan in jail. And they have all political parties eating out of their hands, with Assembly elections around the corner.

If filmstars were not involved in the shooting incident, and if the election were nowhere near, the killing of the two blackbucks would never have become an issue. The locals, the police and the administration say shooting of the animals and elaborate shikars (hunting) are common in the western Rajasthan belt. A wildlife official admits: ``Since there are no protected areas like wildlife sanctuaries, poaching has become a routine feature.''

But an adventurous shikar by five Bollywood stars -- Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam -- was too good an opportunity to miss. Not to takeaway anything from the Bishnoi sentiments about animals, the Vaishnavite sect, it seems, is enjoying all the attention.

``We worship the Jhambaji (that is how they address all varieties of deer after their saint Jambeshwar) and will not take this killing lying down,'' says octogenarian Hari Singh Bishnoi of Kankani village.

Most of the elders share his sentiments but there seems to be a perceptible dilution of traditions in the younger generation. They are almost gloating over the fact that they have ``taught the rich filmstars a lesson''.

``It serves them right. They think they can get away with anything. They will always remember this. Salman can go back and tell his colleagues about life in jail. Blackbucks are fine, we have them in plenty,'' Man Singh, a young man says as he is chided by an elderly man.

But the political parties -- keen to capture the substantial Bishnoi votes -- are going out of the way to please them. Of the eight assembly constituencies falling in Jodhpur division, four aredominated by the Bishnois -- Luni, Falodi, Oshya and Bilara. Kankani village in the Guda Vishnoiyan region falls in the Luni constituency, with the sitting MLA being Jaswant Singh Bishnoi of BJP, who is also the environment minister of the Bhairon Singh Shekhawat government.

It is the former Congress MLA from Luni, Ram Singh Bishnoi, who is leading the protest against the filmstars. The other three Bishnoi-dominated constituencies are held by Congress MLAs. Wildlife activist Mahender Vyas says that the political parties were forced to take action. ``They could not afford to be isolated before the elections,'' he adds.

Judicial custody extended