Protests are brewing in Wayanad with one more person dying in wild elephant attack, the second such incident in the past two days, and the United Democratic Front (UDF) calling for a hartal in the district on February 13.
According to sources, the deceased is Balakrishnan alias Balan, 27, a native of Attamala Erattukund near Meppadi. He is reported to have died on February 11 night and the body was found on February 12 morning by an acquaintance in a private tea estate. Balakrishnan was reportedly attacked when he was going to visit his parents at their residence and the death is suspected to have happened instantly.
Attamala is close to Mundakkai and Chooralmala where a devastating landslide happened in July last year. Very few people are staying there now. Residents of Attamala are claiming that wild elephants have been frequenting the area after the incident. They entered into heated arguments with Forest department officials when they visited the spot. Subsequently, UDF activists too staged a protest. They pointed out that no defence mechanisms had been set up at Attamala and Chooralmala that are frequented by wild elephants and leopards. The protest was called off after the tehsildar promised that ₹5 lakh would be released to the family of Balakrishnan as early as possible. His body was later subjected to post-mortem examination. Later, Youth Congress activists took out a march to the Forest department office at Meppadi.
The tragic incident happened close on the heels of the death of Manu, 45, from Vellari Colony in Tamil Nadu, who was trampled to death on February 10. His body was found the next day. The death had led to widespread protests with local residents not allowing the removal of the body.
UDF activists staged another protest outside the Sulthan Bathery Taluk Hospital blocking the ambulance carrying the body and they later took out a march to a Forest department office as well.
The Farmers Relief Forum and the Kerala unit of the All-India Trinamool Congress in the district had called for a hartal on February 12. However, it reportedly failed to make any impact. Major political parties stayed away from the protest and bus operators and merchants’ organisations such as the Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi did not extend support to it.
Meanwhile, district UDF leaders said that essential services, examinations, weddings and the feast at Pallikkunnu Church would be exempted from Thursday’s dawn-to-dusk hartal.
They alleged that the government had not been taking any steps to prevent wild animal attacks in the district. Four persons lost their lives in such incidents this year, they added. Mar Jose Porunnedom, Bishop of the Mananthavady Diocese, and Mar Remigios Inchananiyil, Bishop of the Thamarassery Diocese, have criticised the government’s inaction in dealing with the issue.
Published – February 13, 2025 05:47 am IST
