Row over death of pregnant elephant in Kerala

Row over death of pregnant elephant in Kerala

It was reported that it died after biting a pineapple filled with explosives

04/06/2020, STAFF REPORTER,PALAKKAD

Policemen standing on the banks of the Velliyar as the body of the elephant is retrieved.Special arrangementSpecial arrangement

The death of a pregnant elephant in a stream at Thiruvizhamkunnu, near Mannarkkad, in Kerala’s Palakkad district on May 27 has erupted into a huge controversy, with a section of the national media and their social media arms branding it an act of human cruelty.

The elephant death came to light two days ago when a forest officer wrote about it in a Facebook post.

The elephant was found to be sick and had waded into the Velliyar stream near Thiruvizhamkunnu forest station under the Mannarkkad forest division. It spent more than two days in the stream, often coming to the shore for brief while. Forest officers tried to save it using a kumki elephant. However, the pachyderm succumbed to its injuries before the kumki reached it.

An autopsy revealed that the elephant was pregnant and its jaw bone was broken. The death was due to asphyxia, as a result of water entering its lungs and trachea.

However, it was presumed that the elephant died after biting a pineapple allegedly filled with explosives. Following the Facebook post, news spread that the elephant had been fed by the people with the intention of killing it.

“We suspect the elephant fell prey to an explosive snare used to fend off wild boars. But there is no evidence to indicate it was intentional,” said K.K. Sunil Kumar, Mannarkkad Divisional Forest Officer.

Forest officers said there was no proof of the elephant having eaten the explosive-filled pineapple. But it is a practice among some farmers living in the forest fringes to use such explosive-snare to kill wild boars. A detailed report of the autopsy is expected soon.

The State government has ordered a high level inquiry. Forest officers indicated that they had information about some people who could be suspected in the case.