A 70-year-old woman was killed in a wild elephant attack at the Kanjiraveli area under the Adimali police station limits on 4 March morning.
Published Mar 05, 2024 | 9:57 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 05, 2024 | 9:57 AM
MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan. (mathewkuzhalnadanofficial/Facebook)
Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Ernakulam District Congress Committee president Mohammed Shiyas have been taken into custody in connection with alleged untoward incidents during a protest in Kerala’s Kothamangalam on Monday, 4 March, the police said.
The protest was sparked by the surge in human-animal conflicts in the state, particularly following the death of an elderly woman in an elephant attack earlier on Monday in Idukki district.
A police official, without elaborating, confirmed that Kuzhalnadan and Shiyas were taken into custody in connection with the untoward incidents during the protest in Kothamangalam.
Kuzhalnadan, who led the protest, said his arrest had been recorded. He said both were taken into custody from a protest venue in Kothamangalam.
He said his arrest was made under sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and the Kerala Health Workers’ Act.
“Some of these provisions are non-bailable. The police have indicated that we will be produced before the magistrate soon,” he told PTI.
Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, upon hearing about the police action, began a sit-in protest in Kothamangalam town.
Chennithala told PTI that Kuzhalnadan and Shiyas were taken into custody and that Congress party workers were “subjected to lathi charges” by the police in Kothamangalam.
Earlier on Monday, Kothamangalam witnessed a strong protest led by Kuzhalnadan and Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose, joined by hundreds of local people.
They refused to hand over the body of the elephant-attack victim, Indira Ramakrishnan, for post-mortem.
A scuffle broke out with the police during the protest, with the protesters chanting ‘Police go back’.
The body was reportedly forcibly taken from the mortuary for the protest, leading to heated exchanges between the police and the leaders.
The 70-year-old woman was killed in the wild elephant attack in the Kanjiraveli area under the Adimali police station limits on Monday morning.
She was trampled by the elephant while serving breakfast for her husband in a rubber plantation near the forest area.
Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital in Kothamangalam, she succumbed to her injuries.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government on Monday provided an assistance of ₹10 lakh to the family of Indira Ramakrishnan.
State Industries Minister P Rajeev and Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine visited the victim’s family at the Taluk Hospital in Kothamangalam, where her body was brought for postmortem.
The ministers provided the emergency financial assistance and expressed their condolences to the grieving family.
Rajeev acknowledged the tragic nature of the incident and assured that the government is committed to preventing such occurrences in the future.
He emphasised the seriousness with which the government views wildlife-related issues.
To enhance safety measures, Rajeev announced plans to expedite the installation of hanging fencing in the Neriamangalam forest range, where the attack occurred.
Additionally, a special Rapid Response Team will be deployed immediately, and steps will be taken in consultation with the forest department, including the installation of CCTV cameras at the site.
Furthermore, the minister Rajeev said that a special all-party meeting will be convened in Idukki to discuss the wildlife-related issues.
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