After the death of the elephant became the talk of the nation, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan reacted seeing Twitterati and the nation demanding justice for the behemoth. He said that justice would prevail and the culprits will be arrested soon.
In a tragic incident in Palakkad district, a pregnant elephant has lost its life. Many of you have reached out to us. We want to assure you that your concerns will not go in vain. Justice will prevail,” Vijayan said in a tweet.
The Kerala chief minister assured the people demanding justice that the investigation is underway and the police has zeroed in on three suspects so far.
“The police and forest departments will jointly investigate the incident. The district police chief and the district forest officer visited the site today. We will do everything possible to bring the culprits to justice,” he said in another tweet.
An investigation is underway, focusing on three suspects. The police and forest departments will jointly investigate the incident. The district police chief and the district forest officer visited the site today. We will do everything possible to bring the culprits to justice.
— Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) June 4, 2020
“We will also try to address the causes behind the increased incidences of human-wildlife conflict.
The Kerala Raj Bhavan’s Public Relations Officer in a tweet said the state Forest Department has registered a case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
“The Kerala Police have registered a case under the Explosives Act, 1884, and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960,” it quoted Governor Arif Mohammed Khan as saying. “Two high-level special teams of police and forest departments are investigating the cases.”
“I have already taken up the matter with the state government expressing my anguish. The government of Kerala is taking adequate and strong actions and those responsible for this abominable act will be brought to justice,” added the Governor.
Officials said the person being questioned works at the farmland where the elephant was last seen. The elephant had died in the Velliyar River in Palakkad district on May 27. The animal entered the river and stood in the water for hours after it consumed the cracker-filled fruit.
