Maneka Gandhi/PTI
BJP leader and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday lashed out at the Kerala government for not taking any action on a pregnant elephant's barbaric "murder" in Malappuram.
The shocking incident came to light on Tuesday after a forest officer in Malappuram district shared the details of the horrific incident on Facebook. He said that the pregnant wild elephant came out of the forest, meandering into a nearby village in search of food. As she walked on the streets, locals gave her a cracker-laden pineapple to eat. The fruit exploded in her mouth killing her.
Gandhi said Malapurram 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.
It is learnt that the elephant suffered serious injuries in her mouth due to the explosion of crackers and she kept on walking around in pain. "She didn't harm a single human being even when she ran in searing pain in the streets of the village. She didn't crush a single home. This is why I said, she is full of goodness," the forest officer wrote on Facebook.
