The death of a pregnant elephant in Kerala has triggered massive outrage in the country. People are taking to social media platforms to voice their anger on the barbaric nature of the crime. Some are demanding arrests while others want nothing less than a death penalty for those responsible behind the pregnant elephant's "murder".
The wild elephant was in Kerala's Silent Valley Forest when she fell victim to an act of human cruelty. A man fed her with a pineapple filled with powerful crackers and those exploded in her mouth when she chomped on it. "Her jaw was broken and she was unable to eat after she chewed the pineapple and it exploded in her mouth. It is certain that she was offered the pineapple filled with crackers to eliminate her," Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden Surendrakumar told PTI. The elephant died at the Velliyar River in Malappuram district on May 27.
Meanwhile, an FIR has been lodged against unidentified people under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.
WHAT POLITICIANS SAID
Pinarayi Vijayan
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ensured strict against the culprits. "Strict action will be taken against those who are responsible for killing the pregnant elephant. Forest department is probing the case and the culprits will be brought to book."
Maneka Gandhi
BJP leader Maneka Gandhi lashed out at the Kerala government for not taking any action. She said Malappuram is India's most violent district and an elephant is killed every 3 days in Kerala. "It is a murder, Malappuram is famous such incidents, it is India's most violent district. For instance, they throw poison on roads so that 300-400 birds and dogs die at one time," she said. "Kerala Government has not taken any action in Malappuram, it seems they are scared. An elephant is killed every 3 days in Kerala. We have less than 20,000 elephants left in India, they are rapidly declining," the animal rights activist further said. Gandhi also questioned Rahul Gandhi and demanded the removal of forest secretary, the concerned minister. "Forest Secretary should be removed, the minister (for wildlife protection), if he has any sense, should resign. Rahul Gandhi is from that area, why has he not taken action," she asked.
Shashi Tharoor
"The crime was so cruel that it has shocked consciences worldwide. I am receiving emails and requests from around the globe to condemn it and punish the evildoers. The outrage is all the more intense because no one ever expected that such a thing would happen to wildlife in Kerala," senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said.
Mimi Chakraborty
"In May 2020, the @KeralaForest dept removed all safeguards for killing wild boar. Now poison and crackers r being planted in fruits used by locals to and left in the wild. It is this policy which is responsible for the horrible death of the pregnant elephant. Must be rolled back. Hundreds of elephants are chained for life in the temples of Kerala.Their slow miserable deaths are not even reported. More calves are added to this lockdown every year.The Heritage Animal of India deserves to live free and their habitat protected.
Shobha Karandlaje
"Heart-Wrenching instance from KERALA! State with 100% literacy rate failing to hold Humanity & turning out to be a State of goons! Infact the incident took place in the Red-Jihad breeding ground Malappuram of Kerala! Will Lutyens & @PetaIndia speak against this brutality!?"
Abhishek Manu Singhvi
"Most disgusting: pregnant elephant offered a firecracker laden pineapple by locals which exploded in its mouth & caused it to die. I don't normally call for "eye for an eye" but the actual animals who did this must be treated the same way."
OUTRAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
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