Major breakthrough in elephant killing, Abdul Kareem, his son Riyasudheen Identified as prime accused

In connection with the brutal killing of the pregnant elephant after being fed with crackers, two persons have been identified. The probe into the case led to the prime accused Abdul Kareem and son Riyasudheen. Malayalam TV channel Janmabhumi confirmed the development.

Major breakthrough in investigation on killing of Elephant in Kerala : First arrest recorded of a person named Wilson. Two more suspects being questioned. @DDNewslive

— DD News Malayalam (@DDNewsMalayalam) June 5, 2020

Kerala Police arrested Wilson, a tenant farmer, in connection with death of the pregnant elephant. Wilson, who originally hails from Malappuram district, was working as rubber tapper in the plantation.

The investigation team took Wilson for evidence collection where the explosive was prepared. Remains of the explosive were found from the shed during evidence collection. Wilson will also be taken to the forest region where the explosive was deposited.

ഗര്‍ഭിണിയായ ആനയെ കൊന്ന കേസിലെ ഒന്നാം പ്രതി അബ്ദുള്‍ കരീം, രണ്ടാം പ്രതി മകന്‍ റിയാസുദ്ദീന്‍, ഇരുവരും ഒളിവില്‍; തേങ്ങയില്‍ പടക്കം വെച്ചത് വില്‍സണ്‍ https://t.co/mqqXKYWKVD

— Janmabhumi (@janmabhumidaily) June 5, 2020

The post-mortem of the dead 15-year-old pregnant elephant says that she was fed a pineapple with firecrackers that burst inside her, leaving her in pain for days. She took refuge in a river until her death. The explosion inside her mouth had seriously injuring her upper and lower jaw and tongue. They surmise her killers must have first tried chasing her away as she strays into the agricultural land and forest area and then fed her the live explosives.

According to forest officials, the injured elephant was first spotted by locals near a water source on May 23. Two days later an elephant expert after a medical assessment said things were bad for the animal. On May 25, the elephant was found dead in slushy water.

A post-mortem conducted on the elephant two days later revealed that the elephant was two-month pregnant. Experts pointed out that this was the elephant’s first pregnancy.