A report submitted to the Kerala government by the State Special Branch pointed out that there was growing unrest among people against the Forest department in Mankulam, Idukki.
In January, a clash had erupted between the forest officials and the Left Democratic Front ruling Mankulam panchayat members over the construction of a pavilion inside the Perumpankuthu river.
In another incident, during last week of January, the Mankulam Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) had allegedly used abusive words against the vicar of the St. Joseph’s church at Anakkulam in relation to an incident where wild elephants, who were at the Anakkulam waterhole, ran amok due to the bursting of crackers during an annual festival at the church.
