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.
