The Forest department began a probe after visuals of youths provoking wild tusker Padayappa at Kundala, near Munnar, on Saturday evening went viral.
According to Forest department officials, a youth group provoked the animal on Saturday at Kundala estate under Kannan Devan Tea Plantations (KDHP), near Munnar, in Idukki. The video shows the tusker standing in a tea plantation near the roadside, and the youths making sounds and provoking the tusker. Finally, the tusker charged, and the youths ran away from the spot in a narrow escape.
Munnar Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Job J. Neriamparampil said the Forest department began a probe to identify the youths. “The Forest department will register a case against the youths under the Wildlife Protection Act. As per section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, such provoking actions are a punishable offense,” said Mr Neriamparampil.
“The normal behaviour of the tusker is raiding roadside shops and eating fruits and vegetables without harming people. But if repeatedly provoked, it will turn violent and will attack people,” said the official.
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) district secretary, M.N. Jayachandran, said that the government departments, including the Tourism department, should take steps to prevent such acts. “The Forest department should register a case against those who provoked the tusker. I will submit a complaint to the Chief wildlife warden in this regard,” said Mr Jayachandran.
Meanwhile, plantation workers alleged that the tusker had been camping for human habitation in Munnar for several days and destroying vegetable farms near the cluster homes (Layams).
In January, the Forest department had registered a case against a driver who provoked the tusker, Padayappa, at the Kadalar estate in Munnar. The visuals of two vehicle drivers provoking the tusker at Kadalar and Kuttiyarvalley, near Munnar, respectively, had gone viral, and the Forest department booked a case against the drivers.
