Violent protest in Wayanad over killings in man-animal conflicts; Rahul Gandhi to visit

Angry agitators blocked the vehicular traffic along the major routes in the district that connect Karnataka and other parts of the state a day after an eco tourism guide of the forest department died in an elephant attack near Kuruva island.

Thiruvananthapuram: Wayanad in Kerala on Saturday witnessed strong protest by the local people over the back to back death of three persons in wild elephant attacks.

While prohibitory orders were clamped in the tension hit Pulpally area near Mananthavady for two days, Congress leader and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi is coming down to Wayanad by taking a break from the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

Hundreds of people who gathered at Pulpally town staged protest by blocking the body of eco-tourism watchman V P Paul, who was killed in wild elephant attack on Friday.

The agitated people also brought the carcass of a cattle killed by a wild animal. A forest department vehicle was also attacked by the people. The local people also staged protests against the people's representatives, which even led to clashes with the police. The people demanded lasting solutions like proper fencing to prevent wild animals enter human settlements and also adequate compensation to the families of the victims.

The agitators allowed to release the body after government officials assured to hand over ex gratia of Rs. 10 lakh to the family on Saturday itself.

The local people continued the protest demanding that the family should be given compensation of Rs. 50 lakhs. Congress leaders and local MLAs accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and forest minister A K Saseendran of not visiting the district to address the concerns of the people.

A high-level meeting convened by the Chief Minister decided to install 250 surveillance cameras in the forest border areas as well as to deploy more forest and police officials in the wild animal attack prone areas.

Congress, CPM and BJP observed hartal in Wayanad on Saturday.

It was the third death in wild elephant attacks in the district in three weeks. On February 10 a wild elephant killed Ajeesh, 45, of Mananthavady after entering the premises of a house.  Lakshman, 55, of Narikkal near Mananthavady, was killed in a wild elephant attack on January 30. He was a guard at a private plantation. Eco-tourism watchman V P Paul was the third death, on Friday, Feb 16.

Major towns like Kalpetta, Bathery, Mananthavady, Lakidi and other places saw complete shut down today. Meanwhile, state Forest Minister A K Saseendran termed as 'unfortunate' the death of Paul and assured that necessary help would be provided to his family.

The elusive pachyderm is yet to be caught despite the Forest department roping in several Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), 'kumki' elephants and even a thermal camera to detect the animal in the dense forests in the area.

(With PTI inputs)