Elephant attack deaths: Massive protests in Wayanad, Sec 144 imposed as CM orders meeting on Feb 20

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting in the state capital Saturday over the situation in Wayanad where he directed the ministers of Forest, Revenue, and local self-government departments to convene a meeting in Wayanad on February 20. At the meeting, a decision was taken to install 250 additional cameras in inhabited areas to detect the movement of wild animals.

The body of Vellachalil Paul, 49 was taken from the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode to a bus stand at Pulpally, where protests were held. With all political fronts calling for a dawn-to-dusk strike in Wayanad, the protests intensified with people bringing the carcass of a cow, killed in a suspected tiger attack, to the protest venue.

Angry mob stopped a forest department vehicle and put the cow carcass on the jeep bonnet. When protesters refused to disperse, police resorted to lathi-charge.

State Forest Minister A K Saseendran, in charge of Wayanad district, was in nearby Kozhikode but did not visit the spot. Also, the lone ruling party legislator from the district O R Kelu of CPI(M) stayed away. Protesters raised slogans against Congress MLAs T Siddique and I C Balakrishnan, both from Wayanad district.

Agitators demanded Rs 50 lakh as compensation for the victim’s family and a permanent job for his widow. They also demanded the government bear the educational expenses of their daughter and write off the family’s debts. The body was taken to his home only after the district administration agreed to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation. The demand for Rs 40 lakh would be recommended for government’s consideration. The forest department would give a temporary job to the widow and bear the daughter’s education expenses.

Siddique told mediapersons that Wayanad needs a permanent solution to the menace. “The protests are natural. When the government has become inactive, people would protest. The forest minister has not met the families of the victims. The district collector is staying away from the spot. The government is pushing people onto the streets for agitation,” he said.

Paul was on duty near Kuruvadweep, also known as Kuruva Island, a prominent eco-tourism destination in Wayanad, when he was attacked and killed by the wild tusker.