Pregnant elephant’s killing in Kerala: Stern action will be taken, says Javadekar

An FIR in the case was registered on May 28 against unidentified persons.
Pregnant elephant’s killing in Kerala: Stern action will be taken, says Javadekar
Pregnant elephant’s killing in Kerala: Stern action will be taken, says Javadekar
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Following mounting outrage over the death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said stern action will be taken against those responsible for killing the pachyderm.

The elephant died on May 27 in an area in Palakkad. It had grievously injured its jaws and tongue, making it difficult to eat or drink water. According to the forest officials, its wound suggested that the incident, where it was injured using explosives, took place a week before its death. The officials suspect it had accidentally bitten a fruit stuffed with explosives used as a bait to keep away or kill wild boars.

"The Environment Ministry has taken a serious note of the death of an elephant in Kerala. Has sought a complete report on the incident. Stern action will be taken against the culprit(s)," Javadekar said in a statement to media.

The post-mortem report had revealed that the 15-year-old elephant was one-month pregnant and had broken its upper and lower jaws. The elephant was unable to eat after her upper and lower jaws as well as tongue were mangled.

The wild elephant, which originally belonged to the Silent Valley National Park (SVNP) in Palakkad, had allegedly wandered away. The officials are yet to trace the exact location where it got injured.

The Mannarkkad Forest Division in Palakkad has registered a first information report or FIR on May 28, a day after its death, against unidentified persons.

Based on the nature of wound it is assumed that the elephant died due to explosives, Mannarkkad Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) KK Sunil Kumar had told TNM. “We are suspecting that the elephant fell prey to the explosive snare used to fend off wild boars,” he said. Using snares to trap, wound or kill a wild animal is a cruel practice and is punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

The death of the elephant had caused much social media outrage. Meanwhile, the former Union Minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi termed the death of the pregnant elephant as "murder” and even claimed that the incident took place in the Malappuram district, terming it "most violent district" in the country.

Several forest officials had repeatedly stated that animal was not fed but ate the explosive-laden fruit or some substance meant to ward off wild animals.

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