Maneka Gandhi blasts Kerala govt over elephant deaths, alleges inaction

Lok Sabha MP and vocal animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi came down hard on the Kerala government for its alleged inaction over the abhorrent death of a pregnant elephant due to consumption of firecracker-stuffed pineapple fed to her by a local in Mallapuram. 

The former union minister took to Twitter and said that Mallapuram is "known for its intense animal activity" and yet authorities did not take any action to curb the cases of cruelty towards animals. She alleged that no action has been taken against a single poacher or wildlife killer which has allowed them to carry on with their acts.

READ | Kerala: Pregnant Elephant Dies In River After Being Fed Pineapple Filled With Crackers

600 elephants killed

Maneka Gandhi also attached a document along with her tweet claiming that "About 600 elephants are killed by the temples by breaking their legs, beating and starving them and otherwise by private owners by insuring them and then deliberately drowning them or giving them gangrene by putting rusted nails on them." Gandhi said she talked to the department almost every week about such cases of torture towards elephant and "they do absolutely nothing".

The MP also posted telephone numbers of the state forest minister as well as other officials urging concerned citizens to reach out to them. 

READ | Netizens Share Art To Express Anger Over Horrific Killing Of Pregnant Elephant In Kerala

Cruel animal abuse

The pregnant elephant died in Silent Valley Forest in Malappuram after a local allegedly fed her a pineapple stuffed with crackers. The incident showing an act of human cruelty took place on May 27 while the elephant was standing in water and forest officials said that it died standing in river Velliyar after it suffered an injury in its lower jaw.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Mannarkkad forest range officer said that an FIR has been lodged against unidentified people under relevant sections of the Wild Life Protection Act over the incident.

READ | Pregnant Elephant's Death In Kerala: Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan Express Despair & Anger

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