Current affairs

'Bring the responsible to justice': Voices grow as outrage over the death of pregnant elephant!

By TNSCorrespondent, 03 June, 2020
India, Kerala, Wildlife

The death of the 15-year-old pregnant elephant in Kerala has erupted more outrage across the country as people from various backgrounds including activists and celebrities have been expressing their distress and anger on the horrific act of animal cruelty that has showcased the vulnerability of the wildlife.

The elephant has reportedly died after eating a pineapple that was stuffed with firecrackers. According to the reports, the elephant has got out of the Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad in Kerala and she was wandering in search of food that took her to Malappuram. After finding the pineapple to feed her hungry, she bit the fruit which was stuffed with firecrackers and after she ate it, the fruit has exploded and caused her severe injuries.

After getting injured, the elephant has gone to the nearby Velliyar river in Malappuram and she stood there with her half body, mouth, and truck submerged in water, and around 4 pm on May 27, she has died by standing on the water with having a baby in her womb. The dreadful incident has sparked deep anguish and outrage among animal lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, and animal activists. 

They have urged the government to initiate strong action against people who had trapped the explosives to kill wild animals which are wandering in search of food. Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has called the state government to bring the criminals to book to preserve the state's reputation for protecting nature.    

 

Celebrities like Randeep Hooda, Anushka Sharma, Varalakshmi Sarathkumar, Shraddha Kapoor, and Simran had taken strong stances against this act of animal cruelty and many activists had called for the implementation of strict rules to protect wild animals. 

Most of the organizations working for preserving wildlife have appealed to the governments to take actions against the responsible who stuffed the crackers inside the fruit. The organization like World Animal Protection has petitioned to Union Minister of Environment Prakash Javadekar, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and demanded the government to detain the suspects.

By condemning the horrific act, the organization has urged to arrest the responsible and bring them to justice. According to the reports, the Humane Society International, India has said that it would reward Rs 50,000 for providing information about the perpetrators who were behind this act. 

 

The incident has put the vulnerability of the wildlife and species to the limelight and elephant wandering for food has alarmed that we must retrospect ourselves before destructing the woods and the shelters of the animals. The destruction and annihilation of woods had made wildlife more vulnerable today to travel miles in search of food and the same destruction would possibly make us vulnerable tomorrow.

 

According to the reports, wild elephants will fall under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, and being offensive in this schedule would yield a huge penalty. The Mannarkkad Forest Division in Palakkad has filed an FIR against unidentified persons under section 9- prohibition of hunting any wild animal and section 51- offense committed to any animal specified in Schedule I under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

 

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