Representational picture
Credit: DH Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: The forest department officials of Kerala are locking horns with a MLA of the ruling CPI(M) who forcefully released a migrant worker taken into custody in connection with electrocution of a wild elephant at Konni in Pathanamthitta the other day.
While a police case was already registered against Konni MLA K U Jinesh Kumar on the basis of the forest department's complaint that the MLA obstructed duty, Kerala Forest Ranger's Association made a social media post strongly flaying the MLA.
"Dear MLA, You may take the initiative to dismiss the state forest department and make a call to electrocute all wild elephants, shoot all tigers and burn alive all animals in the forest," said an emotionally charged social media post that was later withdrawn.
The association also sought the Chief Minister's intervention into the matter.
The forest department was also learnt to have given a report to the government against the MLA.
A video footage of the MLA entering the Padam forest station and threatening the officials for taking the driver of an earth mover into custody had gone viral. He even said that naxals would come if the forest department officials continued such acts. He also freed the earth mover driver.
The MLA later clarified that he got emotional owing to the hardships being faced by the people owing to wild animals entering human settlements.